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College Career: In two years at Coffeyville Junior College in Kansas, Reggie Evans developed from a high school player so mediocre that Southern Mississippi was the only Division 1A team to recruit him into an All-American with an averages of 22.5 points and 12 rebounds his sophomore season. With his stint at Coffeyville concluded, Evans headed slightly east to play for the University of Iowa. Together with Indiana (by way of Arizona) transfer Luke Recker and youthful Head Coach Steve Alford, Evans turned the Hawkeyes from also-rans to Big Ten contenders. Evans took quickly to the bigger stage the Big Ten provided, leading the nation in rebounding with his 11.9 average as a junior. In addition, thanks largely to nearly 10 free throws per game, Evans averaged 15.1 points as a force in the middle. He was at his finest during Iowa's surprising march to the conference championship in March without Recker, grabbing a tournament-record 51 rebounds in four games. He also set the single-game record with 18 against Penn State in leading Iowa to the NCAA tournament. While Evans' senior season was disappointing for the Hawkeyes as a team, he was brilliant again. His rebound average dipped slightly to 11.6 per game (he just missed defending his NCAA title), but Evans improved his field goal percentage to 49.6% and averaged 15.4 points per game. Iowa again mounted a fierce charge during the Big Ten tournament, falling just short of defending its crown.
Shooting/Scoring: Evans is surely not a shooter. His shot, while not particularly unattractive, lacks range and is inconsistent even in the lane. Most of his 15 or so points per game in the NCAA ranks came off putbacks and free throws, meaning he'll have a very hard time creating his own shot at the NBA level. In the post, Evans is unskilled and lacks any real moves save bulling his way to the basket for an easy shot. He definitely creates a lot of free throws, however, shooting 648 in his two years at Iowa. During his junior season, he shot more free throws (346) than field goals (326). Unfortunately, he doesn't make as many as he should, given the practice he gets. He shot 62.5% at the line at Iowa, a number that needs to improve.
Floor Game: The less Evans is asked to handle the ball, the better. He is an uncomfortable ballhandler who can easily have his pocket picked by smaller defenders, another reason he isn't successful in the post. Evans is a better passer than he is a dribbler, but still is not going to be setting many teammates up. Grab the rebound and move it, Reggie!
Rebounding: Evans is simply relentless on the boards. He is one of those players who doesn't grab a bunch of rebounds solely based on athleticism, but instead has to always be in the right position and effectively boxing out. At 6-8, his size will not help him in rebounding at the NBA level. Evans will not be able to beat players for boards when he's boxed out and may lose some of his rebounds over the top. He is better on the offensive glass.
Defense: Defense is the other area of the game where Evans' height gives him difficulty. Taller players can simply shoot over the top of him and Evans is not much of a shot-blocking threat. Evans is not particularly quick either, meaning smaller players can take him out on the floor and drive past him. What Evans does have on the defensive end is bulk. He does a good job of keeping players from getting good position in the low post. He does a good job of defending players with the ball in the post.
Intangibles: A warrior on the court, Evans turns that off and is a fun-loving, well-liked teammate. Alford raves about him. Evans has clearly put in a lot of work to get where he is; he bulked up dramatically during his four-year college career.
Overall: The theme in scouting Evans is evident; his 6-8 height negates a lot of the things that he does very well. As a result, despite his great college numbers, he was not amongst the 58 draft picks in this June's NBA Draft. That hardly meant, however, that his career is over. Evans found a perfect situation for him to try to make the Seattle SuperSonics, a team that is desperately in need of toughness, defense, and rebounding. He comes into camp as the favorite to make the Sonics as an invitee. Because of his size, Evans will have to battle and scrap for anything he gets in the NBA, but he could have a fairly lengthy career in front of him if he accepts his role as a defender and rebounder.
October 29 Update: Forget just making the team. Evans is now a starter for the Seattle SuperSonics with opening night a day away. He impressed throughout camp, particularly in the final week. Moved into the starting lineup in place of Vladimir Radmanovic, Evans averaged 7.0 points and 9.3 rebounds on 54% shooting. He ended preseason play as the Sonics' rebounding leader with a 5.8 average.
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