Oregon, Texas, Indiana intrigue five-star junior KJ Evans
SPRINGFIELD, Mass – The No. 4 prospect in the 2023 class, KJ Evans is as in-demand as almost any junior in the county. The Montverde Academy star holds a number of offers and an even longer list of schools interested in his services. Not all involved schools stand on level footing, however. Last week, Rivals.com caught up with the 6-foot-9 forward to get the latest on where things stand as they relate to his recruitment.
ON VISITS HE HOPES TO TAKE
“Definitely Indiana and Oregon. With my man Jalen [Hood-Schifino] going to Indiana, I definitely want to check that out.”
ON INDIANA
“I know Coach [Mike] Woodson is there and he teaches, like, an NBA system. That could help me understand that faster, so that’s good. It helps you. It helps know what the NBA needs and wants.”
ON WHAT HOOD-SCHIFINO SAYS ABOUT IU
“He says it’s really nice. We just went to Indiana recently to go play and it was nice, but it was a little cold. I’m from Baltioore. It’s cold there, but it’s not too cold. Not cold like Indiana was.”
ON OTHER SCHOOLS IN THE MIX
“Oregon definitely. I’ve always liked them. It helps that Nike is right there and I like their stuff. Also, they’ve been talking to me a lot. They’re really prioritizing me. Also, Texas.”
ON OREGON HEAD COACH DANA ALTMAN
“I talked to him recently actually. He’s a good guy. I haven’t had the chance to watch him really coach, but I like him. I just want to get to know him more.”
ON TEXAS
“They came and saw me at practice, and Dillon [Mitchell] tells me a lot about them. I like what I know about Texas but I want to go see it and know more.”
ON WHAT KIND OF SYSTEM BEST SUITS HIM
“I play positionless. I can play anywhere. I can bring the ball up or play underneath.
I shoot the ball well and play defense. I can handle the ball well, too, so I think I fit in a positionless system. I’m working on getting even better at ball handling because I’m tall, so guys come in under me, so I’m working on guarding against that.”
RIVALS REACTION – Evans’ desire to visit both Texas and Indiana stems at least partly from his relationships with teammates Dillon Mitchell and Jalen Hood-Schifino, who are signed with the Longhorns and Hoosiers respectively. The interest in both programs seems real, but Oregon should still be seen as the early favorite to land the five-star wing. Serious threats to the Ducks will become clearer as Evans’ visit itinerary takes shape in the year ahead.