Updated: April 16, 2008, 6:12 PM ET
The suspense has ended as 6-foot-5 shooting guard Tyreke Evans has chosen the Memphis Tigers, "getting the decision off his chest," as he put it, during his much-anticipated press conference.
The seemingly endless recruiting process for Evans evolved into a two-horse race between Memphis and Villanova in his hometown, with the Tigers emerging victorious in the end.
Evans has uncanny scoring ability, easily creating his own offense off the dribble for points. He has the chance to become a closer for the Tigers, with the ability to successfully convert big shots down the stretch, in addition to making buckets at the end of the shot clock due to his impressive one-on-one skills. He easily breaks down opposing defenders off the dribble and finishes well at the rim. Due to his good upper-body strength and leaping ability, he adeptly takes on contact and adjusts well in the air while still making layups.
On his jump shot, Evans has to alleviate his tendency to fall away from the basket and release the ball from behind his head. Bringing his elbow in just a tad will only improve his accuracy on his jumper.
Evans also needs to improve his ballhandling by becoming more efficient with the dribble. With his length, athleticism and quickness off the dribble, Evans can get to any spot he wants on the floor, but he can do it with fewer dribbles. When he repeatedly pounds the ball into the ground, he reduces his teammates to spectators and brings his offense to a halt. Surrounded by better talent in college, he should have more viable passing options on the next level.
Evans can reduce his streakiness as a shooter by exercising better shot selection. He will make himself even more difficult to defend if he sets his teammates up more for scoring opportunities.
Evans could develop into a strong defensive presence on the perimeter due to his strength and long arms. He also has good lateral quickness which allows him to stay in front of opposing guards. He anticipates and plays passing lanes well. Evans needs to exert more effort on the defense end, but when he decides that he wants to defend, he consistently causes problems for opposing guards.
Evans should see instant playing time and have plenty of opportunities to score points due to the early departure of all-everything point guard Derrick Rose for the NBA. All-America small forward Chris-Douglas Roberts may also declare early for the NBA, leaving a bundle of scoring opportunities for the offensive-minded Evans. Memphis coach John Calipari runs a very player-friendly, free-flowing offensive system that should allow him to have enough shooting opportunities to keep him happy. Playing with the other talented backcourt mates such as current Tiger Willie Kemp should allow Evans to spend more time at the shooting guard spot and concentrate on scoring first.
The Tigers also play great defense, and Calipari will find a way to tap into Evans' ability and make him into the defensive stopper that he has the ability to become.
Evans becomes the third member of Memphis' 2008 recruiting class, joining 6-10 power forward Angel Garcia (East Chicago, Ind.), and 6-9 power forward Matt Simpkins (Lenoir, N.C.).
After playing for the national title, the Tigers needed to capitalize on the momentum created by their on-court success by converting it into recruiting triumphs. With Evans' commitment, Memphis delivered in a big way and the Tigers may have more recruiting victories on the way. They have managed to attract interest from a number of highly-regarded undeclared 2008 prospects, including ESPN 100 6-8 small forward
Wesley Witherspoon (Lilburn, Ga.) as well as top post-grad player 6-8 small forward
Devin Ebanks (Oakdale, Conn.). Look for the Tigers to use Evans' commitment to serve as the launching pad for more success in their recruiting for 2008 and beyond.
Antonio Williams is a recruiting coordinator for Scouts Inc. He previously worked as an NBA scout for Marty Blake Associates.
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