Think about it: you come out of high school as one of the most talked-about shooters, with stats to back it up, but college ball doesn’t give you the spotlight you expected. Many players might crumble under the weight of those expectations, but not Isaiah Evans. This Duke freshman showed that patience and preparation pay off when it matters most. And the Blue Devils’ own superstar Cooper Flagg and head coach Jon Scheyer are just as impressed as the rest of us.

After Duke’s 84-78 win over Auburn in the SEC/ACC Challenge, Flagg had nothing but love for his teammate. “That’s something you don’t see every day,” he said. “For a guy like Isaiah, who had an incredible high school career, to come in and not start how he would have hoped here, but just to stay ready and work every single day—that’s huge.”

He also revealed how Evans is one of the most hardworking on the team. And it showed. The freshman guard put on a show in this game, especially in the first half. He scored 18 points on 6-of-8 shooting from beyond the arc, single-handedly providing Duke with the spark they needed to climb out of an early 11-point deficit.

Not to forget that game-changing shooting spree. It truly matters, as this wasn’t just any win for Duke. Facing off against No. 2 Auburn, the Blue Devils needed every ounce of firepower they could muster. Cooper Flagg led the way with 22 points and 11 rebounds. But Evans was the X-factor no one saw coming.

Despite being outscored early, Duke clawed their way back. But you must know this breakout game for the 18-year-old guard didn’t come out of nowhere. Sure, he hadn’t been playing big minutes before this, with only 29 points across all his previous games combined. But he was determined enough to not let it affect his game.

While it would’ve been easy for anyone to sulk about his limited role, he took the opposite approach. According to Coach Scheyer, he is just so “proud” and shared how Evans was relentless in practice, focusing on the things that would earn him more trust from the coaching staff. 

“He wanted to work on his defense, his rebounding, understanding rotations,” Scheyer said. “It’s a great lesson for young players—you can be pissed you’re not playing, but also have the humility to attack every single day.” And that’s exactly what Evans did, guarding teammates in practice, working on his weak points, and waiting for his moment to shine.

When it finally came, he delivered with confidence and swagger. As Evans himself put it, “I’m just a total visioner. So I catch it, you don’t have a hand up, and you’re not shooting my shot—it’s going up.” That’s the kind of confidence blue-blood fans expect. But do you know? Along with his talents, he also brought extra heat to the already intense Duke-North Carolina rivalry.

Isaiah Evans’ recruitment fired the North Carolina rivalry

Evans came to Duke with plenty of buzz, especially being a two-time North Carolina Mr. Basketball. Earlier this year, he even went viral for showing off in front of UNC fans during a high school game. And who can forget his cheeky swipe at former Tar Heel Cormac Ryan’s age during media at the McDonald’s All-American Game?

It’s clear Evans was always meant to wear Duke blue. Although initially, there were comparisons between Flagg and Evans, the 17-year-old upped his game and the buzz as they entered college. But, now, for all the hype surrounding Cooper Flagg (and rightly so), Isaiah Evans is proving he deserves some of that spotlight, too. 

Back in high school, he averaged 27.5 points per game and was named a MaxPreps First Team All-American. And now, he’s showing he can be just as impactful at the college level. “I feel like I’m an elite shooter,” Evans said before. And he proved it. Now, with performances like this, you can bet he’ll be seeing a lot more minutes going forward. So, just wait and watch!