Duke recruit Isaiah Evans named Gatorade NC Player of the Year at North Mecklenburg
North Mecklenburg senior and Duke recruit Isaiah Evans has been named the top boys basketball player in the state of North Carolina by Gatorade.
On Thursday, Evans was named the Gatorade North Carolina Player of the Year in boys basketball. He is the first player ever selected for the award from North Mecklenburg.
Standing at 6-foot-7 and 185 pounds, Evans led North Mecklenburg to a 30-3 record and the N.C. High School Athletic Association 4A state playoffs. Evans scored 23 points and eight rebounds in the state championship game, where the Vikings beat previously undefeated New Hanover. He averaged 31.3 points per game in the state playoffs, posting 188 points in six games.
For the season, Evans averaged 27.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game.
In the fourth round of the state playoffs, Evans led North Mecklenburg to a 79-63 win over No. 1 seed and reigning state champion Myers Park. He scored 48 points in the game, which included six baskets from three-point range.
That was not his best performance of his career though. In the fourth round of the playoffs in 2023, Evans posted one of the best scoring performances in NCHSAA history when he scored 62 points in a win over Chambers.
Evans has been selected to the McDonald's All-American Game, and he will play for Team USA in the Nike Hoop Summit in April. He was also named to the N.C. Basketball Coaches Association All-District Team, and will certainly receive more postseason honors in the coming weeks.
According to ESPN, Evans i the No. 8 player in the country from the Class of 2024.
Outside of basketball, Evans has spent time volunteering as a youth basketball coach in his community. He has a weighted grade point average of 3.17.
