Tyreke Evans free to return after three-year drug ban

Tyreke Evans (Keith Allison, Wikimedia Commons)

Tyreke Evans of Chester, Pennsylvania is eligible to return to the National Basketball Association. Evans was suspended for two years on May 17, 2019, for violating the NBA/National Basketball Association Players’ Association’s anti-drug program, and was eligible to apply for reinstatement on May 17, 2021 according to Jason Owens of Yahoo! Sports. On Monday it was announced that Evans’s application for reinstatement was granted.

Primarily a shooting guard, Evans last played for the Indiana Pacers in 2018-19. In 69 games, he averaged 10.2 points per game, 2.9 rebounds per game, 2.4 rebounds per game, a field goal percentage of .389, free throw percentage of .719, and three-point percentage of .356.

In five NBA seasons with the Sacramento Kings (2009-2013, and again in 2017), four seasons with the New Orlerans Pelicans (2013 to 2016), and one season each with the Memphis Grizzlies (2017-18), and Indiana Pacers (2018-19), Evans averaged 15.7 points per game, 4.8 assists per game, 4.6 rebounds per game, a field goal percentage of .440, three-point percentage of .323, and field goal percentage of .757.

At the beginning of his NBA career, Evans had a significant impact. He was the rookie of the year after averaging a career high in points per game (20.1) with the Kings. Evans was initially the Kings’ first round draft pick by Sacramento in the 2009 NBA Draft out of the University of Memphis. The only three players chosen in front of him were Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers), Hasheem Thabeet (Grizzlies), and James Harden (Oklahoma City Thunder). Griffin and Harden were teammates with the Brooklyn Nets to begin the season before Harden was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. 

It will now be interesting to see if Evans signs or who signs Evans. One positive aspect to his game is the fact he is very versatile. Evans can also point guard and small forward.

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