Tyreke Evans
Tyreke Evans may have clinched NBA Rookie of the Year honors Monday night when he joined an elite group. By scoring 24 points, the Kings phenom guaranteed he would average at least 20 points, five rebounds and five assists for the season. Only legends Michael Jordan and Oscar Robertson and current superstar LeBron James have done the same.
Evans is a magical athlete. Few guards his size can cut through the lane, finish with either hand, or step back and nail jumpers. And he’ll only get better in his second year, when the Kings will be looking for him to be more of a team player, both on the court and in the community.
As Jordan demonstrated, the greatest players make their teammates better. Jordan racked up amazing statistics, but even he would say that he didn’t become truly great until he led the Bulls to the playoffs and, eventually, six championships during the 1990s. Evans needs a stronger supporting cast, but the Kings still had won only 25 games going into Tuesday night’s final game against the Lakers.
Evans is also the face of the Kings. With that comes another kind of responsibility. As his stature grows, he’ll be courted by potential sponsors, but he’ll also be expected to give back to his community. This season, Evans has helped the hungry and helped raise awareness on diabetes. There is much more good he could do here in Sacramento.
It would be highway robbery if the sportswriters and broadcasters who pick the winner later this month don’t choose Evans. But we aren’t losing sleep over it. Stephen Curry of Golden State and Brandon Jennings of Milwaukee are terrific, but they aren’t Tyreke. He’ll take home the hardware, then Kings fans will be hoping he makes Sacramento his home for a long, long time.