Ducks Digest

Kwame 'KJ' Evans Jr., Nation's No. 2 Recruit, Commits to Oregon Ducks

Dana Altman and the Ducks just added a massive piece to their 2023 recruiting class.

Max Torres

In this story:

Kwame 'KJ' Evans Jr. has committed to the Oregon Ducks. The 6-foot-9, 190-pound power forward announced his commitment with Paul Biancardi on Instagram live.

Evans plays at nationally basketball powerhouse Montverde Academy in Florida, but is originally from Baltimore. He's one of the most highly-coveted players in the country for 2023 and reportedly attracted offers from 28 schools during his recruitment. He chose the Ducks from a top five that also included Kentucky, Auburn, UCLA and Indiana. 

Though there is a bit of a discrepancy with his rankings across various recruiting services, ESPN has him ranked highest as the No. 2 overall recruit trailing only DJ Wagner, a five-star uncommitted point guard hailing from New Jersey. 

READ MORE: Texas four-star DL Terrance Green commits to Oregon

247Sports ranks Evans as the No. 7 recruit nationally, Rivals has him at No. 13, and On3 has ranks him as the No. 7 recruit. Evans is the second player to pledge to Oregon in 2023, joining local prep point guard Jackson Shelstad out of West Linn. 

Despite having only two recruits committed in 2023, Oregon's class is ranked No. 5 in the 247Sports team rankings. 

Dana Altman continues to push the Ducks up the recruiting ranks among the nation's elite programs, as Evans (0.9973) becomes the second-highest rated recruit to ever commit to Oregon, behind Orlando Magic center Bol Bol (0.9989).

This news could be even more encouraging for the Ducks with regard to Mookie Cook, who de-committed from Oregon in late June. Following Evans' commitment, Cook, originally from Portland, is reportedly heavily considering a return to Oregon. 

Join the Community

Follow Max on Twitter: @mtorressports

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter to have the latest Oregon Ducks news sent directly to your inbox

Join the discussion on our forums HERE

Published
Max Torres
MAX TORRES

Max Torres is the publisher and lead editor of Ducks Digest. He's covered the Oregon football and recruiting beats for four years. He's based out of Long Beach, CA and travels around Southern California and the country covering top high school football prospects.

Home/Recruiting