Isaiah Evans returning to Duke: Former five-star recruit passes on NBA Draft to come back for sophomore season

Duke retained a big name as a building block for its 2025-26 roster Tuesday as freshman forward Isaiah Evans announced on social media he plans to put his professional pursuits on hold and return to the Blue Devils for his sophomore season. He was ranked as the No. 38 overall prospect in the CBS Sports prospect rankings for the 2025 NBA Draft and was projected as a late first or early second round pick.

A former five-star recruit ranked as the No. 13 overall player in the Class of 2024 out of high school, Evans played in 36 games with the 35-win Blue Devils this past season, averaging 6.8 points and shooting 41.6% from 3-point range as one of the most lethal bench weapons in the sport. He’s in line for a significant uptick in usage next season with the team’s top four scorers — Cooper Flagg, Kon Knueppel, Tyrese Proctor and Sion James — all either leaving early for the NBA draft or out of eligibility.

Backcourt scoring in particular is a big need for Duke with Knueppel, Proctor and James gone, making the retention of Evans all the more important. He made only three starts this past season and was used sparingly on a loaded Duke team, but had 11 games of 10 or more points and six games of 16 or more points, showcasing his microwave scoring and potent offensive game.

Some of Evans’ best showings came when the lights shined brightest, too, including an 18-point performance off the bench vs. No. 2 Auburn in December in which he made a season-high six 3-pointers on eight attempts. He also scored 17 points vs. Illinois in a nonconference game played at Madison Square Garden in February as part of a 110-67 romp of the Illini.

Duke has not yet landed a player out of the portal for this cycle and has several remaining question marks for its next roster as several players mull their futures, but the return of Evans drastically changes its outlook for the better. He figures to walk into a situation where he’ll be asked to shoulder a big load on offense alongside a star-studded incoming recruiting class headlined by Cameron Boozer, the No. 3 player in the Class of 2025, and twin Cayden Boozer, the No. 24 player in the class.