Duke basketball rising sophomore guard Isaiah Evans has announced that he has withdrawn his name from the 2025 NBA Draft and will return to Durham next season, giving the Blue Devils a crucial backcourt piece back for the 2025-26 season. This is huge news for Jon Scheyer and the rest of his staff, as there seemed to be real concern that Evans could be headed to the NBA.
After the conclusion of the 2024-25 college basketball season, Evans had one of the most intriguing decisions to make of any rotation piece as the sharpshooter had legitimate interest in both the NBA and the transfer portal. Ultimately, Evans announced his return to Duke for a sophomore season, but then it was reported that he had put his name in the 2025 NBA Draft early entry list, having Duke fans worried that the potential breakout candidate could be on the way out.
But now, it’s been confirmed that Evans will be wearing a Duke uniform next season and will almost definitely be a starter for Scheyer.
The guard will have a chance next season to skyrocket his 2026 NBA Draft stock with an elevated role in the Blue Devils’ rotation. The 6’6 wing was strictly a 3-and-D piece for Scheyer as a rookie, as 81% of his shot attempts and 78% of his makes came from beyond the arc.
After he established himself as one of the best shooters in the nation as a freshman, improvements in his ability to defend both around the perimeter and in the post, along with his passing, could put Evans in lottery conversations come the 2026 NBA Draft. There was some buzz that Evans could climb into the first round in this summer’s draft, but it seems his stock wasn’t high enough to keep him in.
This is the first of two huge decisions in terms of Duke 2025-26 pieces that are weighing a return to college and the NBA Draft. Now with Evans announcing his return to Durham next season, all eyes point to Cedric Coward, one of the top shooting guards in the portal. Coward committed to Duke over Alabama but still has his sights set on this summer’s draft, and it seems like as time goes on, his stock continues to soar.
There’s much more potential that Scheyer could lose Coward than there was with Evans, but now knowing that the starting backcourt for Duke next season is set in Evans and Caleb Foster, Blue Devil fans can be a little more at ease.
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