Pray That Your Team Takes Tyreke
I had the privilege - and it definitely was a privilege - of watching Tyreke Evans work out in Minnesota along with our boy Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings, Ty Lawson, Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague. I was a fan of ‘Reke’s at Memphis, particularly after President Obama endorsed his game when making NCAA tourney predictions. But it wasn’t until I watched him have his way going to the basket during that workout that I realized just how unique his talent is.
As Austin Burton told the world in Tyreke’s first national cover story (Dime #24), Evans’ older brothers tied his right hand behind his back when he was four years old so that he’d work on his left. It shows now. His handle is as good as anyone’s, and so he’s able to get to the basket with seeming ease against smaller PG’s.
Accordingly, the biggest knock on his game is that his jumper is really weak. We asked him about that criticism at the massive media event earlier this afternoon.
“I think my shooting is going to be a strength of mine in the League. In high school, that’s how I did all my scoring, shooting jumpers. At Memphis, in that dribble-drive offense, I was just thinking ‘Drive’ all the time. I’m not going to try to change my game - I think I’ll be able to drive in the League. But that doesn’t mean I can’t shoot it.”
With the big T-Wolves trade, everyone was talking about how that completely altered the way that the Draft would go. Though Stephen Curry never worked out for Minny, it might make a lot of sense for them to go after Evans and Curry at Nos. 5 and 6. Those two can both play combo guard, and Evans’ size should held quell any concerns about having a small-ish guy like Curry in the backcourt.
June 24th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
Big Sia says:
obviously kids crazy
June 24th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
jzsmoove says:
I’m salivating for Toronto to get this dude. Colangelo work some magic please sir! But since Minny has got no.5 and 6, they might end up with Derozan and Evans combo. That would put any obscure team back on the map.
June 24th, 2009 at 4:42 pm
Aaron says:
I think he has a Joe Johnson ceiling and could be a real player. We have him going to Sactown who loves him at 4 in our latest mock.
http://www.nbadraftdaycountdown.com
June 24th, 2009 at 4:45 pm
c-viz says:
i minnesota can package their picks to somehow get thabeet and evans they will be competitive again. will they have anything left after trades though?
June 24th, 2009 at 5:28 pm
Michorizo says:
I’ll like the Kings if they take him…maybe even like him if they take Rubio…from what I hear Evans is the best of the group…
June 24th, 2009 at 5:33 pm
russ says:
..not sure about those comments on his jumper. i didn’t watch a ton of memphis games, but the few i saw there wasn’t much to like about his shot in terms of mechanics and fundamentals. off balance. no arc. i mean 27% from 3 for your 2 guard kinda says it all doesn’t it? we’ll see.
June 24th, 2009 at 5:53 pm
Dime Magazine says:
russ,
I was just as skeptical, but he’s really not a two-guard. He’s a 6-6 PG. He has the handle and a really quick first-step.
- ak
June 24th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
Yeah I also like him better at the point and then maybe later down the line transition into a 2. Alot of shooting guards we have in the league today started as a point - Kobe, T-mac, Turkoglu, Larry Hughes.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
knock knock says:
tyreke is not a pg. If he was a 6-6 pg he would be the number one pick in the draft. No shot for a shooting guard, not a good passer. More of a one on one player. AK, learn the prospects before you make a dumb comment.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
BiG ShoT BoB says:
@ Knock he actually played point all year for Memphis except for the first few games I think. In fact once they changed him to point they went undeafted until the tourney.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:14 pm
isotope says:
Knock Knock
…obviously nobody’s there
June 24th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
LB says:
Aaron, I can definitely see the Joe Johnson comparison. Both guys have great builds and smooth handles, which allow them to get to the rim at will, even though they dont have that eye-popping athleticism of D-Wade or Kobe. And both guys fadeaway on every shot they shoot, but it remains to be seen if Tyreke Evans can hit on a consistent clip like JJ.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:01 pm
LB says:
All in all though, I think Evans deserves to be a top-10, maybe even a top-5 pick. If you can pick up a guy that has the capability of averaging 20-5-5, you do it.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:03 pm
bone0315 says:
Second best player in the draft.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:29 pm
russ says:
…ok so again. he’s a point that averages <4 assists per game? I didn’t really see him as much of anything but a one man show, and not nearly as talented as iverson doing so. certainly not a point though, just someone whohas to dominate the ball in order to be successful. in the end he is still going to have to hit open shots from the perimeter. everyone one will just sag off him like rondo.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:33 pm
Dime Magazine says:
knock knock,
I really don’t mean to come off like an asshole, but you’re wrong.
russ,
derrick rose averaged 4.7 assists per game at memphis. it’s the way that their system works. they dribble-drive and kick, and then the next dude does the same thing. rose also had the benefit of playing next to an all-american college scorer in Chris Douglas-Roberts. Tyreke had NO ONE.
- ak
June 24th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
russ says:
almost a full assist more per game, but i guess that doesn’t sound like much i’ll admit. i just don’t see him being a point at all. his game high was 8, and that was once early in the season. rose put up 8 in the championship game along with 18 points. Also had games of 12, 11, multiple games of 9 and 8. rose was a flat out better prospect. though i was surprised he did as well as he did. i thought going back home and playing in front of the home town crowd was going to be bad news..but he really impressed..we’ll see if tyreke does the same. if he his humble and works at his weaknesses he has the ability.
June 25th, 2009 at 1:34 am
jay says:
I don’t see the Joe Johnson comparison. Johnson’s game is defined by his shooting touch, inability to get to the line and good playmaking skills. His lack of free throws keeps him from being an elite scorer. Evan is a poor shooter with a hideous stroke, who at the college level has shown the ability to get the line a lot and is a capable playmaker though I found him to be selfish offensively.
The player Evans reminds me of is Jerry Stackhouse, minus some athleticism: turnover prone, erratic shooter, draws fouls, selfish offensively, good scorer but not elite.
June 25th, 2009 at 3:00 am
blanka says:
Not much to be excited about here. You saw him “have his way going to the basket” against Jonny Flynn, Brandon Jennings, Ty Lawson, Jrue Holiday and Jeff Teague. Thats almost a CBA line-up. Smush Parker would look good against these cats too.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:35 am
solomon (el latino machismo) says:
mardy collins 2.0?
just messin… he’d be really special…
June 25th, 2009 at 8:30 am
rahim says:
@19
tyreke can shoot the ball. in fact, his range was considered a strength of his going into college. he had a down year. it happens. you can’t tell me a guy who shot over 50% from the 3 point line in high school for 6 straight years suddenly can’t shoot. the fact of the matter is, cal used to pull reke out for the smallest mistakes. sometimes for his teammates mistakes. and he also probably hurt his confidence by pulling him out after he’d shoot a jumper.
June 25th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
Celts Fan says:
I see him as Larry Hughes. Tall, combo guard (only Tyreke MAY be able to be a legit NBA pg.). If he works hard, he could be what Hughes was supposed to be. If not, he’s Larry Hughes. Could be a nice piece, but I don’t see him ever being an all star. Wasn’t it just 4 months ago Dime was making “he better go back to school or figure out what a “Mad Ant” is if he wants to get paid in North America” jokes? Again, I think the kid’ll have a solid career, but I wouldn’t take him top 5.
Wouldn’t touch him til Flynn, Rubio, Harden, and Derozen were gone. He’s maybe the Dth best guard to me. BUT if they go Tyreke and Curry I think itd be a great match (I have my ?s about Steph too, but playing next to Tyreke would erase most of them since their both PG-ish combos and Tyreke could D up the 2 guard but Curry could play mostly 2 guard on offense.)
June 25th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
Celts Fan says:
Dth = 5th. Damn Blackberry…