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Dana Evans: 5’6, G, University of Louisville

College Stats in 2019-20:

30 games, 33.7 MPG, 18.0 PPG, 2.8 RPG, 4.2 APG, 0.8 SPG, 41.6 FG%, 43.1 3P%, 89.0 FT%

Where she’ll go:

Evans should be taken early in the second round if she decides to forgo her senior year at Louisville. She was named to AP’s All-America Second Team on Thursday and could quickly take on a back-up point guard role for a rebuilding team.

The Rundown:

The decision of whether or not to declare for the WNBA draft is a difficult one for most talented, draft-eligible juniors.

Sticking around for their senior year may provide them with more preparation and would allow them to earn their degree, but they also run the risk of getting injured and ending their chances of ever making it in the WNBA.

That’s the decision 2020 ACC Player of the Year Dana Evans will have to make in the coming days, but after her standout junior season at Louisville, it appears as though she could be ready to move on to the next level of play.

Evans was named the 2019 ACC Sixth Player of the Year after averaging 10.4 points and 4.0 assists per game off the Cardinals’ bench for all but five games of the 2018-19 season.

When her role was expanded in the following season, she didn’t disappoint.

Evans’ 33.7 minutes, 18.0 points and 4.2 assists per game were all team-highs on a 28-4 Cardinal team that’s improvement seemed to coincide with Evans’.

Evans’ shooting efficiency is the first bullet point on her WNBA resume. She’s improved her shooting percentages every returning season and shot an incredible 43.1% from 3-point range her junior year. She’s attempted at least 195 3s all three years of her college career and has shot above 36% from beyond the arc ever since joining the Cardinals’ team.

She’s a dynamic scorer who can create off the dribble or release a quick 3 off the catch-and-shoot. Evans’ 5’6 height may cause some to question whether her game will transfer well to the pros, but she has the build of an Olympic sprinter which allows her to remain physical with opponents who lean on their height advantage to defend her.

Of course, the progress she made from the beginning of 2018 to 2020 may leave some wondering what strides she could make with another season at Louisville. Could her shooting become even more consistent? Could she become a better passer? Could she become a lottery pick in the 2021 draft? Only time will tell how much Evans is willing to bet on herself.

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2021 Draft Profile: Dana Evans

Dana Evans Has A Big Decision In Front Of Her