Grizzlies sign Tyreke Evans

Grizzlies sign Tyreke Evans

Memphis Grizzlies General Manager Chris Wallace today announced that the team signed guard Tyreke Evans.

“We are excited for Tyreke Evans to return to the city of Memphis and FedExForum, where he enjoyed so much success as a member of the Memphis Tigers,” Wallace said. “Tyreke has proven his talent throughout his NBA career as both a scorer and playmaker, and we are pleased to add a player of his versatility to the Grizzlies.”

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, “if Grizzlies general manager Chris Wallace had autonomy in 2009 he would have selected Tyreke Evans in the NBA draft. Wallace never gave up on the versatile guard. Evans and the Grizzlies agreed Friday to a one-year, $3.3 million contract, a league source told The Commercial Appeal.”

Evans (6-6, 220) has appeared in 473 games (376 starts) and averaged 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.30 steals in 32.2 minutes over his eight-year NBA career with the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans. He owns career shooting percentages of 44.4 percent from the field, 29.5 percent from three-point range and 75.7 percent from the free throw line.

The 27-year-old was named the 2009-10 NBA Rookie of the Year after averaging 20.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 1.51 steals in 37.2 minutes for the Kings in his first professional season. He is one of just 11 NBA players to amass at least 7,000 points, 2,000 rebounds, 2,000 assists and 600 steals since he joined the league.

A native of Chester, Pa., Evans was selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2009 NBA Draft after his freshman season at the University of Memphis, where he was named the National Freshman of the Year by the United States Basketball Writers Association and averaged 17.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.08 steals in 29.0 minutes in 37 games (34 starts) for the Tigers.

Author: Inside Hoops

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