Former Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans made his highly-anticipated G-League debut last night as the Wisconsin Herd visited the College Park Skyhawks. This would be the 32-year-old guard’s first basketball action after his recent reinstatement into the NBA following a three-year ban, and with rumors swirling that the Milwaukee Bucks are potentially eyeing him for their vacant roster spot, all eyes were on Evans as he got the starting nod for the Herd.
Breaking down Tyreke Evans’ debut with the Wisconsin Herd and what it might mean for his future with the Milwaukee Bucks
As expected for a player that has not played professionally for the past three seasons, there was some justifiable rust from Evans on display throughout his debut. The veteran looked a step slow on several plays, particularly on the defensive end. However, Evans still showed brief glimpses of potential during the game, catching some attention for his efforts on a few particular possessions.
Evans started the game with five quick points within the first two minutes, the first being a sweet layup off a spin-move inside and then a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer moments later. After that pair of buckets, the rest of the night was hit or miss for the veteran as he struggled to find a consistent groove on the offensive end. In 26 minutes, Evans finished with a solid 16 points, but it was not an efficient outing as he shot just 7-of-19 from the floor, including 2-of-7 from deep. It was truly just a mixed bag as Evans would look great on one possession and then struggle on the next. However, that is to be expected for a player that has been out of the game for this long.
While he struggled to find his own shot with consistency, Evans made sure to get his teammates in on the action as he handed out five assists with just one turnover. The 10-year NBA veteran is not known for that aspect of his game, but it was undoubtedly welcoming to see him show it off. Elsewhere, Evans pulled down three rebounds and tallied one steal to cap off his return to action in what turned out to be a 142-124 crushing loss for the Herd.
It was far from the flashiest debut from Evans, but that is not surprising. Honestly, it would have been shocking to see Evans hit the hardwood and immediately take off like he never left the game in the first place. It will take time for Evans to regain his footing, which is precisely what this entire process is about in the first place. Specifically, the 32-year-old must find a groove offensively, as it was a struggle-filled outing for him against the Skyhawks.
The Bucks will likely want to see more of Evans in action before they make a decision on what to do with their last roster spot, and understandably so. After three years off, this game was Evans dipping his toe back in the basketball waters, and he could just be getting started. Evans and the Herd will be back in action this Sunday against the Capital City Go-Go at 2:00 p.m. CST.
Stay tuned to see whether or not the Milwaukee Bucks pounce on bringing Tyreke Evans aboard if he continues producing for the Wisconsin Herd moving forward.