After much anticipation, one of the country's last undecided high-profile basketball recruits announced he will spend next season at The University of Memphis. Tyreke Evans, the most valuable player of the McDonald's All American game last month made his announcement Wednesday afternoon at his Philidelphia high school, American Christian School.
Narrowing his choices down to Memphis, Villanova and Texas earlier this year, Evans finally chose The U of M to play at the next level.
"It was a tough decision," Evans said at his press conference. "I wanted to stay close to home, but the school I chose was the University of Memphis."
"I'm feeling pretty good," Evans said. "It feels great to be free (of this decision)."
A three-time state player of the year, Evans averaged 29 points per game as a senior and capped it off with a 21-point, 10-rebound performance in the McDonald's game, the top event for high school seniors.
Evans said Memphis provided the best fit for his games.
"I just decided Memphis was a better offense for me," said Evans, rated by Rivals.com as the sixth-best prospect in the nation. "I would like to play with Coach (Calipari) because of the offense he ran."
Evans could step directly into the starting spot vacated by Derrick Rose, who announced Tuesday that he is leaving for the NBA after one season with the Tigers. Chris Douglas-Roberts, the team's leading scorer and Conference USA player of the year, may also end up in the NBA next season.
Evans, a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who excels at getting to the basket, could follow Rose as a one-and-done member of the Memphis backcourt.
"Hopefully Coach Cal can get me ready to get to the next level and be a successful player in the NBA," Evans said.
Evans is the third recruit signed for the 2008-2009 season. He joins Matt Simpkins and Angel Garcia as the two other players committed to Memphis. Garcia is the 11th highest power forward prospect, according to Scout.com. Simpkins is 25th.
Evans played the last few games of his senior season with extra security after he began cooperating with police investigating a murder.
Evans testified in February against his cousin, Jamar Evans. Tyreke Evans said he was the driver of an SUV from which his cousin fatally shot another man.
Tyreke Evans testified that he heard a gunshot as the victim approached the vehicle and then drove off. He heard another, closer shot before seeing his cousin put a small handgun into his hooded sweat shirt.
Tyreke Evans was not charged in the case, but police complained that he did not talk to them until three weeks later - a few days before Jamar Evans was charged.
Other prospects the Tigers are looking at for next season are Devin Ebanks and Wesley Witherspoon. Ebanks, who is ranked as the No. 13 overall prospect by Scout.com, has narrowed his choices to Indiana, Memphis, Rutgers, Texas, West Virginia and Miami.
Witherspoon, the No. 13 power forward prospect, has his sights on Colorado, Florida, Memphis, Texas and Virginia.
As a senior at American Christian, Evans averaged 32.1 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game. He was also the Most Valuable Player of last month's McDonald's All-American game and is the No. 4 overall prospect of 2008.
