Former Duke teammates drafted: Isaiah Evans to Minnesota, Maliq Brown to Spurs

Kamran Nia, The News & Observer (Raleigh) on Jun 24, 2026

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The Minnesota Timberwolves, via trade with the Brooklyn Nets, drafted Duke guard Isaiah Evans with the No. 33 pick of the 2026 NBA draft Wednesday night.

Evans — a 20 year-old who made the third team All-ACC selection in his sophomore season — averaged 15 points per game and led the Blue Devils in 3-pointers made with 101. He started all 38 of Duke’s games, averaging 28.2 minutes.

The Fayetteville, Ark., native, who later attended North Mecklenburg High School in Huntersville, won North Carolina’s Mr. Basketball award in 2023 and 2024.

After being a late wave invite to the NBA draft green room, Evans didn’t hear his name called until the second round. Attending the draft green room does not guarantee that a player will be selected in the first 30 picks, but Evans was the only invite this year to not be drafted among them.

He joins a Timberwolves team that finished 49-33 and sixth in the Western Conference last season. But before the draft, it traded 31-year-old Julius Randle away in a multiteam deal that included the 33rd pick used to pick Evans, according to the ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Evans’ professional appeal is largely driven by his 3-point shooting, which came in at 36.1% last season. ESPN’s Draft Board said he is capable of making difficult shots from long distance, and he has enough size to play on the wing.

The ESPN analysis, however, added that Evans has a limited offensive game and lacks consistency. The Athletic called him “one of the worst passers in the draft class.” Still, Evans’ length and shooting ability are desired traits in the NBA.

At the NBA Draft Combine, Evans said he likes watching Cleveland Cavaliers’ Max Strus because of their ability to play energetic defense and make down 3-pointers. He also noted Detroit Pistons’ Duncan Robinson as a “sniper” from long range around regular screens and pindowns.

“I think I am a really exciting player,” Evans said at the Combine. “The fan base, wherever I go, they’ll resonate with me pretty well. I think I bring a different type of energy on the court.”

In Duke’s 80-79 ACC Tournament quarterfinal victory over Florida State, Evans scored a career-high seven 3-pointers in a 32-point effort. In the NCAA Tournament opening 71-65 win over No. 16-seeded Siena, Evans recorded a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double.

But in the Blue Devils’ 73-72 Elite Eight loss to UConn, he scored just seven points after going 1-for-4 from long-range.

Tuesday didn’t go Evans’ way, but after finally being taken Wednesday, he’ll have a chance to prove teams wrong in the NBA.

Maliq Brown to Spurs

Evans’ teammate the past two seasons, Duke forward Maliq Brown, went No. 44 to the San Antonio Spurs. The senior from Culpeper, Va., averaged 4.9 points and 5.2 rebounds in 38 appearances in his final season with Duke. He was named ACC defensive player of the year this past season.

Brown played his first two years of college basketball at Syracuse before helping Duke win back-to-back ACC championships.

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