This is the fourth installment in a series of regular postings on draft prospects. This series will take a look at the top draft prospects for the 2018 NBA Draft in June. The plan is to have one or two a week, leading up to a flurry of activity the week of the draft.

Jacob Evans

Over the last two years Cincinnati's Jacob Evans has made a case for himself to be drafted in the first round. He is currently leading the Bearcats in points (13.5) and assists (3.3) per game. He is second in steals (1.3) and third in rebounding (4.5). The do-everything wing has been consistent and solid on offense all year, scoring less than 9 points only 3 times all season.

Evans is a 6’6" SG/SF with a solid NBA ready body. He is a good, but not elite athlete; with decent explosion jumping off two feet. He has solid length (6’9" wingspan) and excellent strength that should allow him to guard 2s and 3s at the next level; even the occasional 4 on switches.

Evans is a smart, competitive defender that consistently brings toughness and energy. While he projects as a multi-positional defender at the next level, I wouldn’t go so far as to call him a defensive stopper. He is more of a very good positional defender than a one-on-one "lockdown" defender. He stays in a defensive stance and brings consistent effort on the defensive end.

He has good instincts and timing as a weak side shot blocker. He can switch 1-4 and is an excellent team defender. He is almost always in the right position at the right time, able to get deflections and steals. The Bearcats have ranked high in defensive efficiency all year and Evans is part of the reason why.

Offensively Evans’ biggest NBA skill will probably be his 3-point shooting. He has a smooth, compact stroke with a high, quick release. He has been a very good 3-point shooter the last two years (over 40% on 4.5 threes per game). He is especially good with his feet set in catch-and-shoot situations. He has NBA 3-point range, which bodes well for teams looking for a 3-and-D wing.

Evans has shown some nice flashes coming off screens to hit jumpers; although he needs to continue to work on that area of his game. He’s also more comfortable this year in pick-and-roll situations; able to rise up for a jumper if the defender goes under the screen, or drive into the paint if they go over the screen.

He’s a decent passer with very good instincts and court vision. He can occasionally get caught in the air with nowhere to go, but he has a strong feel for the game and is a willing and able passer. In the games I watched, Evans could become a bit passive offensively; lingering around the 3-point line without doing anything to enhance the offense. He also had difficulty finishing at the rim over length or through contact. A number of times I saw him get blocked by big men at the rim; and contact almost always resulted in a missed shot, rather than an "And-1".

Evans has a relatively high dribble that gets him into trouble when he tries to get to the lane. I saw a number of turnovers on his drives to the paint. He will need to work on his ball handling and finishing abilities. He will also need to be more aggressive offensively if he wants to be anything more than a role player at the next level.

Strengths

• Easy, comfortable NBA 3-point range.
• Well rounded, consistent, two-way player
• Plays within the offense. Doesn't force plays.
• Consistent effort on defense and offense.
• Very good Free Throw shooter (78%).
• Good passer. Moves the ball. Makes the right pass.
• Good defensive player.
• Good weak side shot blocker for a wing.

Weaknesses

• Can be passive offensively.
• High dribble. Lacks advanced ball-handling skills.
• Trouble finishing over length or through contact.
• Not a consistent rebounder.
• Not elite in any one skill or area.

While Jacob Evans can do a bit of everything: pass, shoot, defend and rebound; I don’t see an elite skill that he can hang his hat on in the NBA. He has been a consistent and solid defender in College, and he can be an effective 3-point shooter. With the dearth of wings in the 2018 draft, that may be enough for Evans to hear his name called in the first round.

With the League’s trend towards positionless basketball, solid role players that can hit shots and defend multiple positions are more and more in fashion. Evans figures to make his mark at the NBA level as a spot up shooter and versatile defender, but I think he has a limited ceiling as a role player - certainly not a star.

How Evans fits with the Wizards

Not that there’s anything wrong with drafting Jacob Evans - he could certainly fill a role with the Wizards - but I would rather see them draft a young rim-protecting big man to groom as a replacement for Gortat and Mahinmi. Daniel Gafford or USC’s Chimezie Metu could fit the bill. If we’re talking about wings (ie: backup for Bradley Beal, etc.) to fit the 3-and-D mold, then I’d rather see the Wizards draft a 3-point shooter and potential lockdown perimeter defender like Khyri Thomas.

Other 2018 NBA Draft Profiles

• Mitchell Robinson
• Khyri Thomas
• Daniel Gafford