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Get To Know: Tyreke Evans
Get To Know: Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans grew up in Chester, Pa., and attended American Christian Academy in nearby Aston. As a sophomore, Evans began drawing comparisons to other former high school superstars such as Tracy McGrady after he averaged 25.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.3 assists and 3.8 steals while playing both guard positions. As a senior, he averaged 32.1 points per game and was the consensus top recruit in the class of 2008.
As one of only two players in the McDonald's All-American High School Basketball game waiting to decide on a college, Evans played with a purpose. He scored 21 points, pulled down 10 rebounds and dished out four assists en route to MVP honors. Almost a month later, Evans signed a letter of intent to play at the University of Memphis.
After playing small forward throughout high school, Evans initially struggled with his transition to shooting guard at Memphis. But on Dec. 29, against Cincinnati, Evans got the start at point guard and he flourished. Playing 33 minutes, he tallied 14 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists, the latter two being season highs. Better yet, with Evans at the helm, the Tigers would not lose another game until the NCAA tournament.
During the Tigers' 33-4 season Evans averaged a well-rounded 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.1 steals per game. He was named Conference USA Rookie of the Week a record nine times, Conference USA Freshman of the Year and made the All-Conference First Team. He was also the only freshman finalist for the 2009 U.S. Basketball Writers of America National Player of the Year award.
After an impressive regular-season run, Memphis earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and made it all the way to the Sweet 16 where it faced the three-seeded Missouri Tigers. Evans played fantastic, netting a career-high 33 points, along with five rebounds and four assists, but Memphis was decimated by Missouri, 102-91, marking the first time the Tigers had allowed 100 points under coach John Calipari.
In March, Evans declared himself eligible for the 2009 NBA draft. The Sacramento Kings, a squad that had won an NBA-low 17 games the previous season, took him fourth overall. He started 72 games in his rookie campaign.
In December 2009, the Sacramento Kings made one of the most improbable comebacks in NBA history. Down 79-44 with 8:50 left to play in the third quarter, the Kings kept chipping away and eventually rallied to beat the Bulls. Evans was instrumental in the comeback, outscoring the Bulls 9-3 in the last two minutes of the game.
After jockeying during the first half of the season for rookie supremacy, Brandon Jennings and Evans found themselves on the same squad for the T-Mobile Rookie Challenge. Jennings stole the headlines with a team-leading 23 field goals, but Evans' bruising effectiveness in the low post earned him the game's MVP honors. Evans finished with 26 points, six rebounds and five assists, and graciously offered to share his MVP award with DeJuan Blair, who finished with a game-record 23 rebounds.
Facing the Toronto Raptors on March 11, 2010, Evans recorded his first career triple-double with 19 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists. The performance came on "Rally for 'Reke ROY Night," a promotion by the Kings to garner attention for Evans' Rookie of the Year campaign. On this night at least, Evans didn't really need any help though.
In April 2010, Evans was named the NBA's Rookie of the Year. At season's end he became one of four players (Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and LeBron James were the others) to average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists in his rookie year.
Looking forward to the 2010-11 NBA season, Evans headlines a young, exciting Kings squad that has nowhere to go but up. He'll be joined by the Kings 2010 first-round pick, DeMarcus Cousins, and their pick-and-roll combination will be expected to lead them to the playoffs in the years to come.
