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Oregon transfer F Kwame Evans Jr. commits to Villanova
TL;DR
Kwame Evans Jr., a forward from Oregon, has committed to Villanova after three seasons with the Ducks. He averaged 13.3 points and 7.4 rebounds in his final season and will be moving closer to his Baltimore home to play in the Big East.
One day after Jackson Shelstad announced his decision to transfer to Louisville, the Oregon Ducks' other big transfer portal entrant made his choice as well. Forward Kwame Evans Jr. committed to Villanova on Monday morning, according to On3.
Evans spent three seasons with the Ducks, but he had a breakthrough in his final season in Eugene. Starting all 30 games he appeared in, Evans averaged 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks per game, all of which were career-highs. The 6-foot-10 big man recorded four double-doubles and connected on 45.4% of his shots from the field.
A Baltimore native, Evans will be moving closer to home by joining the Wildcats. Evans originally entered the portal with the intent to also test the NBA Draft waters. It's unclear if he will still entertain going to the next level, but the former Oregon star has announced his intention to play in the Big East next season.
The Ducks hoped to keep Evans around as a key piece of the rotation moving into his final season. Last season, Evans scored a career-high 24 points in a loss to UCLA, and he also grabbed a career-high 15 rebounds in a narrow defeat to Northwestern. Although the Ducks stumbled to a 12-20 finish, Evans looked like the player Dana Altman had hoped he could become as a four-star recruit in 2022.
Instead, Evans was the first of nine Ducks to enter the transfer portal and is now the third former Duck to find a new home. Shelstad landed at Louisville, and Dezdrick Lindsay committed to Kansas State earlier in the week.
While he will join a Villanova squad that will be in the NCAA Tournament mix next season, the Ducks are still building and figuring out what their roster will look like next season. Sean Stewart is the only returner from last season, but Altman has three talented freshmen coming in and has already secured three big pieces from the transfer portal. San Francisco guard Tyrone Riley IV was the Ducks' first commit of the offseason, while Boise State forward Andrew Meadow and San Diego State forward Pharoah Compton both committed on Sunday night.
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This article originally appeared on Ducks Wire: Kwame Evans Jr. announces commitment to Villanova
Q&A
What were Kwame Evans Jr.'s stats during his final season at Oregon?
In his final season at Oregon, Kwame Evans Jr. averaged 13.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.3 blocks per game.
Why did Kwame Evans Jr. transfer to Villanova?
Kwame Evans Jr. transferred to Villanova to move closer to his Baltimore home and to continue his college career in the Big East.
Is Kwame Evans Jr. still considering the NBA Draft after transferring?
It is unclear if Kwame Evans Jr. will still pursue the NBA Draft after announcing his commitment to Villanova.
