2018 NBA Mock Draft: Time for the Final Four
. G. Cincinnati. Jacob Evans. 21. player. 24
Evans is an athletic jitterbug, someone who makes you wonder how they aren’t already a great NBA player based on how much they leap out at you when you watch. Imagining Evans next to Kris Dunn in Chicago should terrify guards around the NBA.
In his junior season with the Bearcats, Evans led the team’s swarming defense at the point of attack. Cincinnati finished first overall on that side of the ball in terms of efficiency because they constantly played with length and athleticism on the court, while Evans and fellow draft prospect Gary Clark led the way. Evans’ 3.7 percent block rate as a guard is fantastic, and he also nabbed almost two steals per 40 minutes. His impact shows up everywhere.
The majority of his value comes on that end, and scouts will love that his individual skill contributed to an excellent performance by his team all season.
On offense, Evans projects as someone who could fill the ever-popular archetype of Patrick Beverley or Matthew Dellavedova for the Bulls. He can defend three positions and shoot, but what sets him apart is his ceiling as a ball-handler and shot creator. If he gets better there, he could be a starter in the league.