New Orleans Pelicans: 30 greatest players in franchise history
(2013-17). Tyreke Evans. 9. player. 69. . SG
Tyreke Evans has been a bit of an enigma during his time in the NBA. He was selected No. 4 overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft where his career got off to a fast start. He won the NBA Rookie of the Year award as a member of the Sacramento Kings, showing off his potential as a scorer from all over the floor.
Four seasons into his time in Sacramento, Evans was putting up 17.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.4 steals per game as an emerging volume shooter. He shot 44.8 percent from the field on 6.5 makes per game and 14.4 shot attempts per contest.
Following the 2012-13 NBA season, he was shipped off to the Pelicans as part of a three-team trade. In his debut season, he emerged as the Pelicans most productive reserve, averaging 14.5 points, 5.0 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in 72 appearances.
Evans scored a career-high 41 points during his first season in New Orleans. He shot 14-of-26 (53.8 percent) from the field against the Oklahoma City Thunder back on April 14, 2014.
As a full-time starter in 2014-15, he produced 16.6 points, 6.6 assists, 5.3 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game through 79 appearances and a career-high 76 starts. Evans shot 30.4 percent from 3-point land, showing off his combo guard ability. He dished out a career-high 521 assists as a member of the Pelicans.
Evans leaves ranked ninth all-time in total points (2,982) and third in assists (1,139) in New Orleans franchise history. As one of the premier two-way guards in the league, he’s certainly in the conversation as one of the top players in franchise history.