Entering the 2026 NBA Draft after two years of playing for the Duke Blue Devils, Isaiah Evans was projected by most to hear his name called during the first-round. That didn’t happen, as the 20-year-old instead fell to the third pick (33rd overall) of the second round.
During the course of NBA history, some legends of the game such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Patrick Ewing, and Scottie Pippen wore No. 33 during their playing careers. Now, Evans has a clear reason to also have that jersey number for the Minnesota Timberwolves, as he begins his NBA journey.
After his summer league debut, Evans explained his number selection; the clip is courtesy of Andrew Dukowitz of Zone Coverage.
"Yeah, I just need a constant reminder,” Evans said. “Just a chip on my shoulder every day I wake up. I put this jersey on, it’s a subtle reminder.”
Evans has found that extra motivation to help him succeed at the next level.
Evans looks to be latest green room wait success story
A 6-foot-6 guard, Evans was one of the invitees to the 2026 NBA Draft Green Room. Out of all the players there, he was the last to be drafted, as everyone else was a first-round selection.
That can’t be easy to experience, and could even be embarrassing. It certainly can be overcome, though, and can show how a player handles a little early adversity.
One of the most famous green room waits, albeit in a different sport, was quarterback Aaron Rodgers being the last to hear his name called (24th overall) from that room in 2004. Rodgers is still playing and is a surefire future first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Now Rodgers is an extreme case, but that wait doesn’t define a player’s career. Evans can use that feeling of knowing he had to wait an extra day just to be selected to help him prove to all the NBA teams that took someone else over him wrong.
Evans’ Timberwolves career didn’t get off to a rousing start as he shot just 2-for-15 (0-for-9 on 3-pointers) in his summer league debut on Saturday.
The Wolves acquired the 33rd pick in the Julius Randle trade, but that deal was finally made official on Friday, so Evans couldn’t play in Minnesota’s summer league opener. Also, try not to overreact to rookies in summer league, especially their first game. Even Victor Wembanyama made just 2 of his 13 field goal tries in his summer league debut back in 2023.
With Minnesota having expectations of being a very good team next season, it may be hard for Evans to find his way into the rotation regularly. Evans has showcased the ability to have shooting range that few can match, and he can also utilize his length as a wing on the defensive side.
Those qualities can enable him to have a prolonged career, longer than the majority of other second-round picks.
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