Golden State Warriors: 5 reasons Jacob Evans was a good pick
5. Elite wing defender
What Jacob Evans is best known for is his elite defensive ability, and that is a reputation well-deserved. Cincinnati and head coach Mick Cronin is well-known for recruiting and developing hard-nosed defenders, and Evans fits the model perfectly. Last season, he was arguably the best defender on a Bearcats squad ranked second nationally in defensive efficiency.
Each night, Evans would guard the opposing team’s best wing player, and the American Athletic Conference had many of those, including fellow 2018 draftees Landry Shamet, Melvin Frazier and Shake Milton. Evans’ combination of fundamentals and instincts made him a lockdown defender, and one of the players in the draft best able to provide a “mirroring” defense on the perimeter.
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His quick hands were frequently poking the ball out of the grip of an opposing dribbler, and he stopped shooters from pulling up cleanly for jumpers. Evans lacked elite strength and was occasionally knocked back by larger or stronger offensive players, but NBA conditioning should solve that issue as Evans has the frame to hold up.
As a team defender, Jacob Evans was solid, although a bit more difficult to evaluate. He closed out on shooters excellently, contesting the shot without fouling. He kept his balance to prevent an easy driving lane while extending his arm into the shooter’s vision — he will never be accused by Mark Jackson of “hand-down, man-down” in the NBA.
Yet the reason why Evans has so much tape closing out is troubling. Does he wander off-the-ball hoping to prevent a drive or pick off a pass? Was it a decision of the Bearcats’ scheme to move him to the nail more often? Regardless, Evans was frequently racing back out to stop an open shooter, and the reality was that many of those shots went down.
The Warriors can plug Evans in as their reserve small forward from day one, and Evans should be able to contribute. He can learn from one of the best in Andre Iguodala at mirroring and balancing team and individual defense. If Evans sticks around, he should help this defense for years to come.