Tyreke Evans banned from NBA for violating anti-drug program

By InsideHoops.com
May 17, 2019
5:00 p.m. ET

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The NBA today announced that we won't be seeing Tyreke Evans for a while.

Not in an NBA game, at least.

Per the league, Evans, who played for the Pacers last season and was headed to free agency this summer, has been "dismissed and disqualified" from the league due to a violation of the terms of the NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program.

Evans, who reportedly was on a year-year, $12.4 million contract with the Pacers this past season, will be eligible to apply for reinstatement to the NBA in two years.

Per the league, "the NBA, NBA teams, and the Players Association are prohibited from publicly disclosing information regarding the testing or treatment of any NBA player under the Anti-Drug Program, other than to announce a player’s suspension or dismissal from the league."

Evans, who played college basketball at Memphis, was drafted 4th overall in 2009 and has NBA career averages of 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. Impressive numbers and a solid career, but one that will now be put on hold for a least two years, maybe longer.

After averaging 19.4 points per game for the Grizzlies two seasons ago, Evans was fairly quiet on the floor in 2018-19 with the Pacers, putting up a modest 10.2 points per outing on the worst shooting of his career: 38.9% FG.