Evans won't have to wait long to hear name in NBA Draft

Tyreke Evans always knew the day would come, and he tried envisioning the scenarios. There were the countless hours he toiled alone in the gym, working on his left, working on his jumper, working on new, creative moves to the basket. There were the times he'd watch an NBA game and dream that one day that would be him running up and down the court, wearing some team's uniform.

What the gifted 6-5, 220-pound former American Christian and University of Memphis star left out is what will happen tomorrow night, when the cameras and klieg lights beam in his face, and basketball analysts watch and gauge his every fidget. What will become a reality is that the kid from Chester will have his name announced sometime in the first round and go up on stage at Madison Square Garden and shake NBA commissioner David Stern's hand.

Evans will be a first-round draft pick in the NBA Draft tomorrow night. That's a certainty. What isn't so certain is where the talented guard will go. Some prognosticators say as high as No. 2, to the Memphis Grizzlies, some say as low as No. 8, to the New York Knicks. Some have him going No. 4 to the Sacramento Kings, and some have him going No. 5 to the Washington Wizards.

So Evans will sit there in his Armani, looking like a million bucks, about to become a 19-year-old millionaire. It's a scenario he did play out.

"But you know it is kind of funny that I never really ever dreamed about what that actual draft experience would be like, sitting there and waiting for my name to be called," said Evans, who was selected as freshman of the year by a number of national media outlets.

"Right now, I'm at a stage where we're hearing a lot of things, movement and who likes me, things like that," Evans said. "What I keep hearing is that I can go anywhere from 2 to 8, and that's really encouraging. I know I'll be pretty calm and just be me, be Tyreke and smile when the time comes. I know my life is about to take a big change. I've worked my whole life for this. It's not just about me; it's about my family, my brothers, and especially my mother. My mom knows I play basketball, and she knows I'm pretty good, so this will be real special to her."

Two NBA scouts compared Evans favorably to Larry Hughes. He has the wingspan of a condor, and his body has matured from looking like an NFL wide receiver, to now looking like a sleek tight end. He demonstrated his versatility at Memphis, playing lead guard when Tigers coach John Calipari was desperately looking for a "one" guard to change the course of his team.

What Evans showed was that he could succeed in the open floor with or without the basketball. He's creative in the open court and showed exceptional rebounding ability.

"Coach Calipari had him doing things Tyreke was not used to doing nor was asked to do very much of in high school," one NBA scout said. "He has the ability to break down anyone at the NBA level, and, remember, this kid was thrown right in and asked to carry Memphis last year. He has a great handle for someone his size. What concerns me about Tyreke was his inconsistent jumper from range, and his penchant to force things. He turned the ball over a lot, but I think that's something correctable at the NBA level. He won't be left out there as the only one on the floor who could score, as he was at times for Memphis."

Evans does have one major supporter whom everyone seems to listen to - President Obama. Phil Maloof, co-owner of the Palms hotel-casino in Las Vegas and the Sacramento Kings with his brother, George, recently asked the president whom he thinks the Kings should pick in the draft.

George Maloof, paraphrasing Obama, was quoted as saying, "He liked Blake Griffin, of course; [Hasheem] Thabeet from Connecticut, and he loved the kid from Memphis - Tyreke Evans."

The Kings, whose GM is Geoff Petrie, a Springfield, Delaware County, native, NBA co-Rookie of the Year and two-time NBA All-Star, have worked out Evans a few times and have shown considerable interest. Evans, however, was a little blown away that the commander-in-chief even knew who he was.

"You can't have a bigger supporter than the president of the United States, can you?" Evans asked. "All I know is when my name is called Thursday night, it will be a victory for me. I know I have some doubters and haters out there who didn't think I'd get this far. Well, I have. It's a victory for me, but more importantly, it's a victory for my family. I've worked my whole life for this opportunity, and it's finally come."

Apparently with the president's seal of approval. *

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