2018 NBA Mock Draft: Where did the prospects go?

I went back and watched the first half of the March 4 game between Cincinnati and Wichita State, in which Evans scored 19 points, shot 3-9 from deep and created three turnovers on defense. It was one of his better late-season performances, preceding two straight games where the junior scored in single digits, and showing NBA teams why he can be so impactful as an all-around player.

As the season has gone along, Evans has slowly replaced Khyri Thomas as the defense-minded point guard who can play next to the league’s best wing creators. That type of player is one of the more coveted in the league, yet there are few who fill the role consistently in the NBA today. Apart from Patrick Beverley and Malcolm Brogdon, NBA scouts have yet to find the right players who have enough play-making ability to keep defenses honest and enough size to defend wings as well as guards.

That’s where Evans could be valuable. He is extremely long, earning the Shamet matchup defensively against Wichita State to counter the point guard’s length. But on offense, Evans was often the secondary ball-handler that he will be at the NBA level, which is not often the hierarchy for these prospects in their college system. When college studs have to take a step back in the pros due to inefficiency or undeveloped skill (see Marcus Smart), sometimes the results are frustrating.

Evans shot 37 percent from 3 this season while upping his assist rate, showing an ability to handle the added responsibility without dominating the ball. In Brooklyn, Evans would become just one of many guards vying for playing time and opportunity, from Caris LeVert to De’Angelo Russell. But his defense and versatility stand out even amid the talented group the Nets have put together.