Jon Scheyer reveals conversation with Isaiah Evans on future options

Isaiah Evans could’ve been a fourth one-and-done from last season’s freshman class at Duke. Instead, after some in-depth conversations about himself with Jon Scheyer, he’ll be back for what could be a big sophomore season for him in Durham.

Scheyer recently spoke with the media, including about what those discussions about Evans’ decision between a return to the Blue Devils or keeping his name in the 2025 NBA Draft. He said the two of them had very honest, real conversations about what each choice would do for his life with Evans eventually deciding to withdraw his name and come back to Duke.

“Well, some of the conversations I’ve cherished the most this season were after the year with Isaiah because it wasn’t just, you know, like, just – it wasn’t just telling each other what we wanted to hear. It was about, like, his life. Like, this is an important decision for his life and what he does next,” said Scheyer. “I thought he handled it in a really mature way – you know, him, his mom, you know, his circle – just of allowing him to make this decision for himself and not be in a hurry.”

“I love those conversations. I think those conversations set the foundation for what he can do this season because it was all based on truth. It wasn’t based on me trying to persuade or convince and it wasn’t based on him, you know, threatening or what other people were trying to do with him,” Scheyer said. “With Isaiah, in his case, he had a decision about going pro, you know. That was a real decision that he had to make.”

Evans, arriving as a four-star as part of a No. 1 recruiting class, played a smaller role than three of the other freshmen who would go on to be top-ten lottery picks in the draft in Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, and Khaman Maluach. That’s with him posting averages of 6.8 points (43.2% FG, 41.6% 3PT on 1.7 makes) per game. However, the flashes, especially offensively and from distance, could become what he is full-time in a bigger opportunity next season for what should be another highly-ranked team for the Blue Devils.

Again, Evans could have justified being a very late first, early second-round pick in the draft back in June. Still, he and his coaching staff know there’s more to add to his game with another year in college before he goes into the NBA.

“You know, he shouldn’t just be drafted. You should be ready when that time comes and I think he understood, hey, he’s got to address some areas of his game,” said Scheyer. “I had to show him, just get him to understand what that picture would look like. That’s our responsibility as a coaching staff for how we can help get him there. He’s got to be the one to do it.”

Evans has eleven months, full of offseason workouts, an entire season, and draft prep if he so chooses, to have himself ready to possibly be a selection in the 2026 NBA Draft. Along that way to his future, though, Scheyer hopes he’ll take in some of the present of what his second year could be at Duke.

“I just want for him, I want him to just enjoy this, not put the weight of the world on his shoulders, be present,” said Scheyer. “He’s going to be terrific for us.”