In many a 2026 NBA mock draft, Duke sophomore guard Isaiah Evans was projected to be a first-round pick. After all, the North Carolina native is 6-foot-6 and he shot 36.1 percent from three in 2025-26 to go along with 15.0 ppg. That should have been enough to get him drafted on Tuesday, right?
It turns out he’s now one of the best players available in Round 2 on Wednesday. So what exactly happened? Did scouts not love the fact that he didn’t get his arms up on that fateful Braylon Mullins three in the Elite Eight?
Despite the fact that he could be a catch-and-shoot sniper in the NBA, there are questions about what he can do beyond shooting the ball and some talk about his lack of athleticism. But teams will definitely look at Evans as a specialist from three… and that could mean he’s got a ton of value as a shooter for a team.
Where do NBA mock drafts for the second round have Isaiah Evans going?
Many of them have him going at the top of the second round as a floor-spacer.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Why Isaiah Evans dropped out of 2026 NBA Draft first round?
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