Indiana Pacers: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2018-19
3. Tyreke Evans
During a nine-year career that saw him average 16.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds a game, Tyreke Evans has certainly become a quality NBA player.
However, due to lack of success his teams have had, the former Rookie of the Year hasn’t really gotten the recognition as someone of his status should — not necessarily All-Star hype, but just an appreciation for someone who can be a real asset to a playoff contender.
Tyreke Evans is excited to work hard for the #Pacers: "I'm going to bring it for the fans every night." pic.twitter.com/lZ7ehdwC4w
— Bally Sports Indiana (@BallySportsIN) October 7, 2018
Indiana may not be the biggest of media markets in the league, but as a team expected to qualify for the postseason once again, more people will get the chance to see him take opponents off the dribble and dissect pick-and-roll coverages.
His numbers probably won’t increase much more than his career averages. Given how many ball-handlers the Pacers have, they’re more likely to decrease, but with more exposure, Evans might finally get the recognition he deserves, maybe even enough to garner consideration for the Sixth Man of the Year.