Wednesday, former Texas Tech point guard Keenan Evans signed a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons making it far more likely that he will appear in the NBA next season.
While first-round pick Zhaire Smith garnered the majority of the attention from Texas Tech basketball fans during last week’s NBA Draft, many were also hopeful to see former point guard Keenan Evans get his shot. Unfortunately, Evans was not drafted in the two-round draft but he is still going to have an opportunity after signing a two-way contract with the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday.
The concept of a two-way contract was introduced in the NBA for the 2017-18 season. Such deals allow NBA teams to have the rights to players outside of their regular 15-man roster and assign those players to the “G-League” (formerly the D-League) for development.
Players on two-way contracts are allowed to spend up to 45 days with their NBA team during the season. Thus, it is reasonable to expect Keenan Evans to appear in the NBA at some point next year. And an added bonus for Evans is the fact that players on a two-way contract receive a significantly higher salary than others in the G-League.
Evans had originally agreed to play for the Golden State Warriors summer league team in what amounts to the NBA’s version of an intramural tournament for rookies and low-level free agents hoping to impress enough to get a shot in the NBA. But now, he is in a far more advantageous position to achieve his ultimate basketball goal.
Last season, Evans turned in one of the best seasons in Texas Tech basketball history. He averaged 17.6 points and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 47.1% from the field despite playing the final month of the season with a broken toe. He was named an AP third-team All-American after leading the Red Raiders to the Elite Eight for the first time in school history.
Still, Evans has quite a bit to prove to NBA teams. Questions concerning his size (6-foot-3, 185-pounds) and streaky shooting (especially from three-point range) were enough to keep teams away from spending a pick on him.
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"According to the website NBADraft.net, “He kind of lacks a stand out skill … There are plenty of 6′ 2”-6′ 4” combo guards who scored at a high level in college, but what is his calling card? … Evans’ ability to find a spot in the NBA will have to be dictated on a team being an ideal fit for his game and personality …”"
Still, Texas Tech fans who watched Evans for the past four seasons know that his intangibles are off the charts. With a tireless work ethic, Evans transformed himself into one of the most clutch players in the nation and the unquestioned leader of a top-10 team.
"NBDDraft.net writes, “A player who’s demonstrated a fearless attitude, and one who has a track record of clutch finishes, hard work and a bulldog mentality … His toughness is a quality that coaches love, so it may just be finding the right fit in order for him to stick …”"
The website compares Evans to former NBA guard Jannero Pargo who spent 14 years in the NBA. Pargo averaged 6.4 points and 2.0 assists per game in a respectable and lengthy career.
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Only time will tell if Keenan Evans will be able to have a similar (or even better) career than Pargo. However, Texas Tech fans know that Keenan Evans should never be counted out.