4-star Dennis Evans says he is down to Two

On3 imageby:Jamie Shaw10/09/22

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Dennis Evans is one of the more intriguing players in the 2023 class. The 7-foot-1 center averaged 11.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 7.0 blocks last season for Riverside (CA) Hillcrest High.

“I’m a defensive stretch big that can play inside and out,” Evans told On3. “I’ve improved my post skills, and I have a good enough touch to hit the outside shot. I try to watch a lot of Joel Embiid; I love the way he works on his footwork and how he can stretch the floor.”

Evans was also a member of the u17 USA Basketball team that took home gold this summer in the FIBA championships.

“It was an extremely fun experience, and I had a lot of fun with the guys while we were in the process of it,” Evans said.” I feel like the most I’ve grown was on the offensive end, you know, learning to stretch my game out to where I’m not just a cleanup guy all the time. And become more useful with passing and, you know, actually getting some scoring opportunities.”

The four-star tells On3 that he is down to his final two programs. On3 caught up with Dennis Evans at the USA Basketball Junior National Team Minicamp to talk about his final two schools

“I’ve been on two visits so far to TCU in Minnesota,” Evans said. “I pretty much narrowed it down to those two, those are my final two.”

Evans talks visits

TCU: “First off, I love the way that they play. They play with a lot of energy and a lot of passion. What stuck out with me during that visit was definitely how professional they are. They have everything you need, and they’re really going at each other every day in practice to make sure they get better.”

Minnesota: “I’d say my favorite part was definitely watching them practice as well. They run different actions, and they have a different play-style. They definitely play with a lot of energy and at a bit higher pace. Coach (Ben Johnson) loves the fact that I’ll be able to make a defensive presence just with my shot blocking alone coming in. So all I have to do now is start to pick up that offense and get going.”

Evans’ take

“I’m not sure on a commitment time frame or date yet,” Evans said. “I’m not sure if I’ll be signing in the early or the late period.

“I want to play for a coach who is going to push me hard. A place where I can fit in and really make a difference as I go along. I feel like I’ll be able to develop wherever I play and I can adapt to different playstyles. I’d rather get up and down so I can work on being able to play at a higher pace, at a higher level.”

On3s take

Dennis Evans is a lengthy post prospect whose calling card is his defensive presence, most notably around the basket. A high-level rim protector, he can change the complexion of a game. Evans is very skinny and does not move well, right now, laterally. Offensively, there are question marks about what he does or can do. While inconsistent, the lefty does have touch, with range off the catch that extends beyond the three-point arc. He will need to continue developing, but there are some rim protection tools.