Next month’s NBA Draft will see the Boston Celtics add two new players to their roster. The hope, of course, is that the Cs manage to find at least one young guy who can contribute to winning.
The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie projects Boston to select Duke guard Isaiah Evans with pick No. 27. That’s a familiar spot for the Celtics – the late first round where they’ve found gems like Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez in recent years.
Evans put together a strong sophomore season for the Blue Devils. He averaged 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game in 38 starts. The six-foot-five-inch guard’s scoring came at an efficient clip, too, as he shot 43.3% from the field and 36.1% from beyond the arc.
Those numbers are solid. But they don’t tell the full story.
Duke Blue Devils guard Isaiah Evans (3) drives to the basket Saturday, March 21, 2026, during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament second round game against the TCU Horned Frogs at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Evans isn’t just a shooter. He’s a movement shooter – the kind of player who thrives running off screens, spotting up in the corner, and letting it fly with confidence. He’s exactly the type of player who fits Joe Mazzulla’s system.
But he also has flaws. He’s skinny – 186 pounds on a 6-foot-5 frame. He’s not a lockdown defender. He’ll need to add muscle and improve on that end of the floor.
If he does, the Celtics could have their next 3-and-D success story. If he doesn’t, he might never crack the rotation.
Let’s break down Evans’s game, his fit in Boston, and whether he’s worth the No. 27 pick.
The Duke Season: What Evans Put on Tape
Let’s start with what Evans actually did at Duke.
2025-26 statistics:
15.0 points per game
3.2 rebounds per game
1.3 assists per game
43.3% field goal shooting
36.1% three-point shooting
38 starts
Those are solid numbers for a sophomore in the ACC. But the raw stats don’t capture Evans’s shooting versatility.
Per No Ceilings, Evans excelled in the areas that matter most for an off-ball shooter:
40.2% on open catch-and-shoot attempts
44.8% on corner three-point attempts
39.4% on three-pointers off screens
35.6% on contested catch-and-shoot threes
That’s a diverse shooting portfolio. Evans isn’t just a spot-up shooter. He moves without the ball. He runs off screens. He’s comfortable in the corners. He can even hit contested shots.
Those skills translate directly to the NBA.
The Shooting Profile: A Movement Shooter in a Motion Offense
Let’s talk about how Evans would fit in Boston.
The Celtics’ offense under Joe Mazzulla is built on three-point shooting, spacing, and ball movement. They generate a lot of open looks through screens, cuts, and drive-and-kicks.
Evans is tailor-made for that system.
Think about how the Celtics use Sam Hauser. Hauser runs off screens, spots up in the corners, and lets it fly. He doesn’t need the ball in his hands. He doesn’t need to create his own shot. He just needs to be in the right place at the right time.
Evans can play that same role. He’s not as polished as Hauser – not yet – but the foundation is there.
No Ceilings draft expert Jamaill Hines described Evans perfectly:
“Isaiah Evans is an electric sharpshooting wing that’s armed with infectious confidence, positional size, defensive tools, and an evolving skillset. His bona fide three-point shooting and off-ball expertise allow him to seamlessly excel alongside any type of star/superstar and instantly impact any NBA team.”
The Sam Hauser Comparison: A Blueprint for Success
Let’s talk about Sam Hauser.
Hauser wasn’t a highly touted prospect. He went undrafted in 2021. The Celtics signed him to a two-way contract. He spent time in the G League. He worked on his defense. He added strength.
Now, he’s a rotation player on a championship contender. He’s one of the best catch-and-shoot three-point shooters in the league. He’s a fan favorite.
Evans has a similar path ahead of him.
Like Hauser, Evans’s value is tied to his shooting. Like Hauser, he’ll need to improve his defense to earn consistent minutes. Like Hauser, he’ll need to add strength to hold his own against NBA wings.
The blueprint is there. The question is whether Evans can follow it.
The Defense: The Biggest Question Mark
Let’s address the elephant in the room.
Inadequate defenders don’t typically see the floor under Joe Mazzulla. The Celtics’ head coach demands effort, discipline, and toughness on that end.
Hauser didn’t start seeing consistent run until he could hold his own defensively. He’s not an All-Defense candidate, but he’s no longer a liability.
Evans has a long way to go.
He’s 6-foot-5 and 186 pounds. That’s a slender frame for an NBA wing. Opposing offenses will try to attack him. They’ll post him up. They’ll run him through screens. They’ll try to wear him down.
The good news? Evans plays with effort. He crashes the glass (6.5 rebounds per game). He competes. He’s not afraid of contact.
The bad news? Effort alone isn’t enough. He needs to add muscle. He needs to learn NBA defensive concepts. He needs to prove he can stay in front of quicker players.
If he does, he could be a rotation player. If he doesn’t, he’ll be a specialist – a guy who plays 10 minutes a night in specific matchups.
The Athleticism: More Than Just a Shooter
Let’s not pigeonhole Evans as just a shooter.
He’s athletic enough to finish at the rim (62% on attempts inside the arc). He can throw down the occasional dunk. He’s not a high-flyer, but he’s not a plodder either.
He’s also a willing passer. He averaged 1.3 assists per game – not a playmaker, but not a black hole.
Evans’s offensive game is more well-rounded than his three-point volume suggests. He can put the ball on the floor. He can attack closeouts. He can make the extra pass.
Those skills will be valuable in Boston’s system, which emphasizes ball movement and player movement.
The Vecenie Projection: Why No. 27 Makes Sense
Let’s go back to Sam Vecenie’s mock draft.
Vecenie is one of the most respected draft analysts in the business. He’s not guessing. He’s reporting what he hears from scouts and front office personnel.
When Vecenie projects Evans to the Celtics at No. 27, it’s worth paying attention.
Why does he fit? Because the Celtics need shooting. They need depth on the wing. They need players who can contribute without demanding the ball.
Evans checks all those boxes.
The Celtics could trade up. They could trade down. They could take a different player entirely. But if they stay at No. 27, Evans is a logical target.
The Brad Stevens Philosophy: Safe vs. Risky
Let’s talk about Brad Stevens’s draft philosophy.
Stevens has typically favored players with multiple years of college experience. He values polish. He values readiness. He wants players who can contribute without a multi-year learning curve.
Evans is a sophomore – not a one-and-done, but not a five-year college player either. He’s somewhere in the middle.
Stevens also spoke about wanting to improve the roster. He said the Celtics need to get better. He didn’t say they need to get younger.
That could signal a willingness to take a bigger swing. The Celtics could trade the pick for a veteran. They could draft a player with higher upside but more risk.
Or they could play it safe with Evans.
The Hines Scouting Report: What the Experts See
Let’s go back to Jamaill Hines’s scouting report.
“His bona fide three-point shooting and off-ball expertise allow him to seamlessly excel alongside any type of star/superstar and instantly impact any NBA team.”
That’s high praise. Hines believes Evans can step in and contribute immediately. He believes Evans’s shooting translates. He believes Evans’s off-ball movement creates value even when he’s not scoring.
That’s exactly what the Celtics need.
The Celtics have plenty of ball-dominant players. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Derrick White – they all need the ball to be effective.
Evans doesn’t. He’s the ultimate complementary piece.
The Path to Minutes: What Evans Must Do
Let’s lay out a realistic path for Evans.
Year 1: Spend time in the G League. Get stronger. Learn the defensive system. Shoot hundreds of threes every day. Play spot minutes when injuries hit.
Year 2: Compete for a rotation spot. Show improvement on defense. Prove he can hold his own against NBA wings. Earn consistent minutes as a backup.
Year 3: Become a trusted rotation player. Play 15-20 minutes a night. Knock down threes at a high clip. Be the guy the Celtics turn to when they need spacing.
That’s the blueprint. That’s what Hauser did. That’s what Evans can do.
The Boston Celtics hold the No. 27 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie projects them to select Duke guard Isaiah Evans.
Evans is a movement shooter – a 6-foot-5 guard who thrives running off screens, spotting up in the corners, and knocking down threes. He shot 40% on open catch-and-shoot attempts and 45% on corner threes.
He’s also skinny. He’s 186 pounds. He’ll need to add muscle and improve his defense to earn consistent minutes under Joe Mazzulla.
The blueprint is there. Sam Hauser followed a similar path. He went undrafted, worked on his defense, added strength, and became a rotation player.
Evans could be the next Celtics 3-and-D success story.
Or he could be a specialist – a guy who plays 10 minutes a night in specific matchups.
Either way, he fits. He’s a shooter. He’s a winner. He’s exactly the kind of player Brad Stevens has targeted in the past.
The Celtics need depth. They need shooting. They need players who can contribute without demanding the ball.
Isaiah Evans could be that player.