Duke Blue Devils Freshman Standout Makes Surprising NBA Draft Decision

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Apr 22, 2025 6:09 PM ET

The Duke Blue Devils put together a tremendous season but ultimately fell short on the biggest stage, losing to the Houston Cougars in the Final Four semifinal to end their campaign.

With the offseason now in full swing, the focus has shifted to next year. Duke is bringing in another top-tier recruiting class, headlined by the highly touted Boozer twins, Cameron and Cayden.

However, the Blue Devils are also dealing with significant departures—freshman standouts Kon Knueppel and Cooper Flagg, along with Tyrese Proctor, have all officially declared for the 2025 NBA draft.

Amid those losses, the program received some surprising and welcome news on Tuesday. Freshman star Isaiah Evans announced that he will be returning to Duke for his sophomore season, a decision that came after much speculation about his draft intentions.

Duke posted, “Yo Slim, you back?” while tagging Isaiah Evans — and within minutes, Evans replied, “Yea."

yea
— Isaiah Evans (@IsaiahEvans26) April 22, 2025

Duke fans erupted with excitement following the major news:

"Can’t love this more! Year 2 will be special!!" A fan said.

"HUGE WWWS BREAKOUT SZN INCOMING!!!!!!!" Another fan posted.

"Bout to be one of the best bucket getters in ncaa," someone else added.

One more fan commented, "Big role for you next season. All the best."

Isaiah Evans had a fluctuating role with the Blue Devils this past season, largely due to the depth of talent throughout the roster. That said, heading into his sophomore year, there’s a strong chance he’ll step into a significantly expanded role.

His shot-making ability is a key asset for head coach Jon Scheyer, especially with the program losing three starters—and potentially a fourth, depending on freshman Khaman Maluach’s decision regarding the NBA draft.

The former five-star recruit averaged 6.8 points per game in just 13.7 minutes of action. He shot 43.2% from the field and an impressive 41.6% from three-point range—numbers that highlight his efficiency and offensive potential moving forward.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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