Tyreke Evans News: Pro Sports Daily

Evans, Udrih seen as a solid pairing of key ballhandlers

Comment

March 17

Sacramento Bee

"Lakers coach Phil Jackson was asked about the Kings' using Tyreke Evans and Beno Udrih together. Jackson is a fan of having of having two capable ballhandlers. "They have an offense that's conducive to that," Jackson said of the Kings. "Actually, our offense is very similar." Kings coach Paul Westphal is enjoying how Udrih and Evans have meshed this season. Some of the Kings' best basketball this season has been with Evans and Udrih together on the floor. Udrih started his 11th consecutive game when the Kings hosted the Lakers on Tuesday at Arco Arena. The Kings were 11-10 in games Udrih started, heading into Tuesday's game. "There's a lot of mutual respect there," Westphal said of the ..."

Evans' roll continues as he leads Kings over Minnesota

Comment

March 15

Sacramento Bee

"Two of the five Evans brothers stood outside the Kings' locker room Sunday night at Arco Arena. While Tyreke got dressed inside and answered questions about his near triple double in the Kings' 114-100 win over Minnesota, Reggie and Doc waited for the CEO of Blueprint Inc. while chatting with Timberwolves rookie Jonny Flynn. For anyone who was watching closely in June before the Kings drafted Evans fourth overall out of the University of Memphis, this moment was a fitting time to reflect on what could have been. By all accounts, Flynn would have been a King if Evans weren't still on the board. Alas, Evans was still there, with the Clippers taking Blake Griffin as expected, and Memphis and ..."

Evans is double trouble

Comment

March 11

Sacramento Bee

"Kings rookie Tyreke Evans once told assistant coach and Princeton legend Pete Carril that he didn't know who Boston Celtics coaching great Red Auerbach was. Carril shrugged, chalking the somewhat astounding moment up to the fact that Evans was born when Auerbach was in his seventh decade. And besides, the focus as far as the Kings were concerned was that Evans work hard on making a name for himself. But as the fourth quarter of the Kings' 113-90 blowout over Toronto played out at Arco Arena on Wednesday, it was clear that Evans wasn't entirely out of touch when it came to the game's history. As he sat one assist from his first triple double - a feat that would be timely considering the ..."

Evans sorry for criticizing teammate Nocioni in public

Comment

March 10

Sacramento Bee

"Even the leading Rookie of the Year candidate makes rookie mistakes. And while the Kings' Tyreke Evans doesn't typically apologize for every slip-up on the floor, he offered a mea culpa Tuesday for an off-floor flub. Evans, who made comments critical of teammate Andres Nocioni to The Bee after Sunday's loss to Oklahoma City, apologized in a Tuesday afternoon radio interview with KHTK's Grant Napear and Mike Lamb and reiterated his stance at the Rose Garden later. The players had exchanged words during the fourth quarter, with the rookie frustrated at the veteran's shot selection in the most crucial of times. Afterward, Evans told The Bee, "We were in the game, and you come down and take ..."

Kings promote Evans for Rookie of Year

Comment

March 10

Sacramento Bee

columnist Ailene Voisin

"Tyreke Evans is five weeks and 18 games away from joining Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, Brandon Roy, Chris Paul, Emeka Okafor, LeBron James, Amar'e Stoudemire and Pau Gasol as recent Rookies of the Year. OK, forget the part about the disappointing Okafor. Pretend he never happened. But this is a first for the Kings, who genuinely believe their 6-foot-6 guard is the most deserving candidate. They are ramping up the rhetoric and festivities because, frankly, Evans hints at a future beyond furloughs and foreclosures. How long has it been? How many years now? Accordingly, for tonight's game against the Toronto Raptors, the first 10,000 fans will receive a commemorative "Rally for RekeROY" ..."

Success of Evans-Udrih pairing pleasantly surprises Kings

Comment

March 5

Sacramento Bee

"No one can pretend this was the plan, that Beno Udrih and Tyreke Evans as the Kings' backcourt was the product of much deliberation or design. Quite the opposite, in fact. Udrih was seen as the resident underachiever in June, when the Kings entered the NBA draft intending to find his replacement after he played poorly in the first year of his five-year, $32 million deal signed in the summer of 2008. That makes the team's current landscape all the more intriguing. Not only is the sixth-year player's career alive and well, but Udrih has become the closest the Kings have to a viable complement to Evans and his sometimes challenging style. If Evans overdribbles or misses priceless offensive ..."

Evans delivers in crunch time for Kings

Comment

March 1

Sacramento Bee

"Tyreke Evans walked into the media room at Arco Arena late Sunday night and stood at the podium typically reserved for Kings coach Paul Westphal. As he addressed five rows of empty seats and wore a playful grin on his face, he grabbed the microphone and said, "Any more questions?" There weren't, of course, as he had answered all of them during yet another clutch performance that capped the Kings' 97-92 win over the Clippers. After the Kings' lead that was once as large as 16 points was down to one on a Rasual Butler three-pointer with 2:08 left in the fourth quarter, Evans saved a stagnant offense to help the Kings win their second in a row. He bullied and blew his way past helpless ..."

Ball is in Evans' court, and everyone's watching

Comment

February 20

Sacramento Bee

columnist Ailene Voisin

"The whispers no longer are needed. The awkward, delicate dance between the Kings guards is one step out the door. Kevin Martin leaves. Tyreke Evans takes over. The trade that sent Martin to the Houston Rockets makes it official; it places the Kings franchise in the hands of a gifted 20-year-old whom many project as an NBA All-Star for the next decade … at least. And who disagrees? Who in their right basketball mind would argue that Evans, a 6-foot-6 guard out of Memphis, is anything less than one of the game's most prodigious young talents? Besides the obvious, the Kings rookie is a diligent worker, receptive to coaching, mature beyond his years in media situations, and seems to be the ..."

Kings now belong to Evans

Comment

February 19

Sacramento Bee

"Now that the dust has settled, here's the best guess for the new Kings starting lineup: • C: Jason Thompson. • PF: Carl Landry. • SF: Donté Greene. • SG: Beno Udrih. • PG: Tyreke Evans. • Sixth man: Omri Casspi. Of course, who Paul Westphal starts Saturday against the L.A. Clippers is anyone's guess. He has used 22 different starting lineups this season. The one thing we don't have to guess about is that the trade of Kevin Martin to the Houston Rockets means this team belongs to Evans. Yes, you will like Landry's determination, you will continue to enjoy Casspi's grit and, occasionally, you will again be frustrated by Udrih. But make no mistake, Evans officially is now "the Franchise.""

Kings' Evans turning heads around NBA

Comment

February 14

Sacramento Bee

"When Walt Frazier was selected as a member of the NBA's All-Rookie Team in 1968, there were serious doubts among the league's pundits as to whether he could ever be a point guard in the NBA. Ten years later, no one was asking any more. He was known as one of the best players to ever take the floor, leading New York to two championships and being selected to seven All-Star Games. The Kings are hoping that's the Tyreke Evans story in a different generation, that their rookie will eventually quell the discussion about which positional box he should be squeezed into. They have made their organizational feelings known for some time, with the sentiment best reflected in a television spot aired ..."

Kings rookies Evans, Casspi enjoy All-Star whirlwind

Comment

February 13

Sacramento Bee

"Eitan Casspi had the right idea. No media obligations, no autographs to sign and no high-profile games to play - unless table tennis inside the Nike suite qualifies. The brother of Kings small forward Omri Casspi had his slice of All-Star Weekend paradise Friday afternoon, when he alternated between the pingpong table and the massage station inside the swank setup at the Hyatt Regency. As for his brother and fellow fan and media favorite Tyreke Evans? It was quite a different experience. They were Kings of the room in the morning, when reporters still surrounded them long after every other Rookie team member was done with those duties. They were embraced by children while visiting area ..."

One size doesn't fit all for rookie guards Evans, Jennings

Comment

February 12

USA Today

columnist J. Michael Falgoust

"Just going by the numbers, the difference between rookie point guards Brandon Jennings and Tyreke Evans is minimal. With the Milwaukee Bucks, Jennings is averaging 17.1 points, 6.3 assists and 3.5 rebounds a game. With the Sacramento Kings, Evans is averaging 20.5 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds. But there is a striking contrast: Jennings is 6-1, 169 pounds, and Evans is 6-6, 220. "Evans is a more advanced player at this point. Physically, he's really good. He's more of a combo guard," said Phoenix Suns point guard Steve Nash, a two-time league MVP and second in assists this season. "He plays the point, handles the ball. He can play both guard positions. He's difficult because of ..."

Knicks' OT loss to Sacramento Kings disappoints, but Tyreke Evans impresses

Comment

February 10

New York Daily News

"Garden chairman Jim Dolan paid an extended visit to Donnie Walsh's office after he watched the Knicks absorb as bad a loss as they have had this season. Wish we were a fly on the wall for that one. But if Dolan was disgusted by his team's 118-114 overtime loss, as many of the fans at the Garden were, booing at the end, he also had to come away admiring the Kings' Tyreke Evans. Evans is not a lock to win Rookie of the Year, but let's just say that if he doesn't win it, it's because Brandon Jennings is getting more exposure, albeit in sleepy Milwaukee, while Evans has the misfortune of playing in Sacramento, in the land of the 10:30 start time. But Evans can do things on the court that ..."

Injuries sideline Kings' three-guard scheme

Comment

February 3

Sacramento Bee

"Four months ago, there was a lot of talk about the Kings using Tyreke Evans, Kevin Martin and Beno Udrih together. The setup made sense. Put the rookie, Evans, on the floor with two experienced guards who could also relieve him of having to always initiate the offense. But when Martin was lost to injury after five games, that left Evans and Udrih working often as a tandem. Udrih flourished, shooting better than 50 percent from the floor and helping the Kings get off to a surprisingly good start. Martin's return to the lineup last month meant Udrih would have to adjust because his playing time was likely to decrease. What's complicating matters is the fact Udrih is playing with a bad ..."

Evans toppled by injuries for night, Curry for month

Comment

February 2

Sacramento Bee

"It was a tough Monday for Tyreke Evans. The first wave of bad news came in the morning, when the Kings rookie guard learned he wouldn't play against Denver that night at the Pepsi Center because of injury. Not long after, Evans learned that he wouldn't be Rookie of the Month for the first time this season, the January honor going to Golden State's Stephen Curry. His health is the priority, of course, and Evans said he expects to play Wednesday against San Antonio despite various maladies. He suffered a bruised left hip against Utah on Friday and was limited by it against Charlotte on Saturday. By Monday morning, a new problem arose: his right ankle was sore. "I put too much pressure on my ..."

Evans, Casspi up for Challenge

Comment

January 28

Sacramento Bee

"For the past five years, the casual NBA fan who took notice only during All-Star Weekend may have thought the Kings were no longer part of the league. They not only didn't have any All-Stars voted in by the fans or selected by the coaches, but they couldn't even garner an invitation to the peripheral events like the three-point contest, skills challenge or the rookie-sophomore game. That finally changed Wednesday, as Kings rookies Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi were informed that they'll play in the Rookie Challenge on Feb. 12 in Dallas. For Evans, it was an obvious selection, considering the player picked fourth overall out of Memphis remains a leading Rookie of the Year candidate. After ..."

Evans likely is team's lone All-Star hope

Comment

January 23

Sacramento Bee

"The fans have had their say, and now it's up to the coaches to fill out the rest of the rosters for next month's NBA All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas. The starters, as voted on by fans, were announced Thursday. If any King has a shot of making the team as a reserve, it's Tyreke Evans, who wasn't on the fan ballot. Kevin Martin, Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson were the Kings eligible to be voted in by fans. Evans might be the leading Rookie of the Year candidate, and he certainly will play in the rookie-sophomore game during All-Star Weekend. But Kings coach Paul Westphal said the depth of point guards in the Western Conference would make it hard for Evans to be an All-Star. "You go ..."

Jameer Nelson is familiar with rookie of the year frontrunner Tyreke Evans

Comment

January 23

Orlando Sentinel

"The Orlando Magic's Jameer Nelson and the Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans go back a long way — all the way back to their hometown of Chester, Pa. Nelson grew up playing summer-league basketball with one of Evans' older brothers. Nelson first played a pickup game with Tyreke Evans about three years ago, back when Evans was in high school. "Even in that game he dominated people that were playing against him," Nelson. "You could see him being a professional athlete back then.""

The Orlando Magic's defense confounds Sacramento's backcourt tandem of Tyreke Evans and Kevin Martin

Comment

January 23

Orlando Sentinel

"Sacramento Kings guards Tyreke Evans and Kevin Martin stood with their hands on their hips during a break midway through the third quarter Friday night. Each of them stared straight ahead with expressionless faces. It's too strong to say the Orlando Magic demoralized Evans and Martin, but the Magic definitely left them searching for answers. The duo never solved the Orlando defense as the Magic cruised to a 100-84 win. The talented backcourt tandem combined to score just 24 points on 7-of-22 shooting as Matt Barnes, Vince Carter, Jameer Nelson, Mickael Pietrus, J.J. Redick and Jason Williams frustrated them all game long. "That was the key for us: trying to keep their guards out of the ..."

Kings' Evans named in wrongful death lawsuit

Comment

January 20

Sacramento Bee

"Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans is among four men named in a wrongful death lawsuit in Delaware County, Pa. The civil suit was filed by the family of Marcus Reason, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in Chester Township, Pa., in 2007. Evans' cousin, Jamar Evans, was sentenced to 9-20 years after pleading guilty last January to third-degree murder and weapons charges. Jamar Evans was 16 years old at the time of the shooting. The complaint reports the Reason family is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, but filing attorney Peter Dicce said he has not discussed a specific amount with the family who filed the suit. "This is a situation where we feel, where the family feels strongly, that ..."

Evans named in wrongful death lawsuit

Comment

January 19

Sacramento Bee

"Kings guard Tyreke Evans is among four men named in a wrongful death lawsuit in Delaware County in Pennsylvania, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. The civil suit was filed by the family of Marcus Reason, who was killed in a drive-by shooting in 2007. Evans' cousin, Jamar Evans, was sentenced to 9-20 years after pleading guilty last January to third-degree murder and weapons charges. Jamar Evans was 16 years-old at the time of the shooting. The Inquirer reports the Reason family is seeking damages in excess of $50,000. Tyreke Evans was driving the car but never charged with a crime. Authorities said Evans cooperated with the investigation. Rasheen Blackwell and Dwayne Davis, friends ..."

Warriors rookie Curry keeps pace with Kings' Evans

Comment

January 19

Sacramento Bee

columnist Ailene Voisin

"If he had a vote for NBA Rookie of the Year, Stephen Curry would vote for Tyreke Evans, too. The size. The stats. The courage in late-game situations. The ability to thrust his powerful body into the lane, and somehow, squeeze inside for reverse layups. "I can't think of anyone in a long time who gets to the basket better then Tyreke," Curry said of the Kings' standout rookie after his club's 114-97 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Monday. But after Evans? In the rookie race? Game on. Golden State's Curry sees himself as a worthy runner-up. He won't say this - so I will - but he could even make a powerful argument that he's the most instinctive and effective playmaker among his rookie ..."

A dynamic duo? It's up to Martin and Evans

Comment

January 14

Sacramento Bee

"The question isn't whether Tyreke Evans and Kevin Martin can coexist in the same backcourt. They can coexist. These are two pleasant, thoughtful professionals, neither of whom is interested in becoming a negative, divisive figure. Rather, the issue is whether the Kings' two prolific scorers - and at their core, that's what they are - are capable of sharing and adapting? Are they willing to transcend the chronic pressures and influences imposed by a stat-conscious, 24-hour sports community? Are they ready to win? Really ready to win? Play the game. Play to win. That's it. As the Kings travel east for a bruising trip that begins Friday in Philadelphia, Martin is expected to return following ..."

Kings rookie Tyreke Evans gets another call, answers

Comment

January 11

Sacramento Bee

"Regardless of what play is called, Tyreke Evans said he'd take everything in stride. If Kings coach Paul Westphal calls on him to try to win a game with the ball in his hands, fine. If a play is designed for a teammate, that's fine with Evans, too. Here's the catch: More times than not, the Kings' hopes of victory in close games will hinge on Evans and his decision-making. A collective groan from the home crowd could be heard Saturday night when the Kings ran "one-four flat" in the closing seconds of their 102-100 win over the Denver Nuggets. The play calls for Evans to beat his defender off the dribble to score or find an open teammate before time expires. Evans' basket with 0.7 seconds ..."

Sacramento Kings' Tyreke Evans is standing tall among NBA rookies

Comment

January 8

Oakland Tribune

"Back in early November, after the Warriors lost at Sacramento, swingman Stephen Jackson proclaimed Kings guard Tyreke Evans the NBA's Rookie of the Year. Jackson switched to Milwaukee guard Brandon Jennings after Jennings lit up the Warriors for 55 points later that week. It's looking as though Jackson should have stuck with his original choice. After locking up Rookie of the Month honors for the second consecutive month, Evans is the runaway favorite for the award. Warriors fans will get a look at him up close tonight. Chances are he'll have a big game. Evans is proving to be a tough matchup for most teams, averaging 20.3 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game. Against the ..."

Evans practices, Greene sits

Comment

January 7

Sacramento Bee

"The latest on the Kings and those troublesome ankle sprains. *Tyreke Evans practiced today. He said he had trouble sleeping last night but after treatment this morning his right ankle began to loosen up. It's the same ankle that's bothered Evans off and on this season. *Donte' Greene did not practice and received treatment on his left ankle. He's listed as day-to-day. Greene left the first half of Tuesday's game against the Suns with the injury and played briefly in the second half."

Evans again is West's Rookie of Month

Comment

January 5

Sacramento Bee

"The season-long NBA awards watch can typically change as quickly as an end-to-end LeBron James sprint, but the Rookie of the Year race isn't looking that way at the moment. By most accounts, Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans is way ahead of the pack. And considering Monday's announcement, he's clearly in a class all his own in the Western Conference. Evans won the Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for the second time in as many tries, while Milwaukee's Brandon Jennings was a repeat winner in the Eastern Conference as well. Evans averaged 22.1 points (47.6 percent shooting), 5.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.62 steals and 35.5 minutes per game in December. He is averaging 20.1 points, ..."

Kings' Evans grows up with help of 'Team Tyreke'

Comment

January 3

Sacramento Bee

"The purpose of this alliance was to prepare Tyreke Evans for everything. The money. The fame. The game. His talents were so unique, so obvious at such an early age, that expecting the unexpected became the goal of his support system known as Team Tyreke. But on this recent Friday afternoon in Natomas, Evans is facing what for him is a major problem. And making matters worse, he's facing it alone. Lamont Peterson, his strength and conditioning coach and friend who has been with him since he was 14, sits in Evans' black Mercedes S550 outside a local sandwich shop, leaving the Kings rookie to fight his own battle inside. "Why'd you guys lose the Buffalo chicken?" the 20-year-old asks the ..."

Artest still center of soap opera; Tyreke Evans to play

Comment

January 2

Sacramento Bee

(scroll down)

"When the Kings and Lakers were went back and forth in their double-overtime affair Dec. 26, Ron Artest watched from his Los Angeles-area home and found the action even more dizzying than most. Hewas just one day removed from the fall at his house that caused a concussion, staples in his head, stitches in his elbow and extreme dizziness. A week later, it has sparked a bit of controversy in Laker Land. There has been a healthy dose of skepticism from the media related to the accident, partly because of the subject in question but largely because of the way the incident was reported. The original press release said Artest tripped over boxes and fell down stairs inside his Beverly Hills home, ..."

Tyreke Evans making name for himself with Sacramento

Comment

December 30

Philadelphia Daily News

"THIS IS NOTHING really new. They've seen it hundreds, maybe even thousands of times in pickup games on playground courts in Chester, at open gyms after American Christian practiced. They've seen it at Memphis, during many hours of private workouts. They all knew - Reggie, Doc and Pooh Evans - before the rest of us did, just how good baby brother Tyreke was, and how good he was going to be.It's safe to say the world knows now, after Tyreke dropped 28 points on LeBron James and Cleveland, after scoring 18 against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, after a historic game in which Tyreke brought his team back on his 20-year-old shoulders from a 35-point deficit to beat the Chicago Bulls on Dec. ..."

Cavs' James took notice of Evans early on

Comment

December 25

Sacramento Bee

"These days all the basketball prodigies seem to know each other early on. So it was no surprise that Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James knows Tyreke Evans. James, the reigning NBA MVP, has known Evans since the Kings' star rookie was in the eighth grade. And like many of Evans' opponents this season, James had plenty of good things to say about Evans. "I just love the way he plays the game," James said. "He always played ahead, meaning when he was in the eighth grade he played with the high school kids. I can remember those times." Evans' maturity on the floor and willingness to learn are two of the qualities that have helped him win over his teammates and coaches. James noticed that, ..."

Evans wins battle of rookies, and game on last shot

Comment

December 20

Sacramento Bee

"The NBA nation may have been new to this rivalry, but Tyreke Evans and Brandon Jennings had been here before. Before Evans was the Kings' rookie and resident spirits lifter for a morose organization, he was the star of the national champion, Amateur Athletic Union 14-and-under team that beat Jennings' squad in the Final Four leading to the crown. Before Jennings was the Milwaukee rookie who had impressed the league with his early play, he was the lightning-quick leader of an Oak Hill Academy team that downed Evans' American Christian high school squad by one. But on Saturday night at the Bradley Center, Evans earned the knockout in their first professional bout as the Kings won 96-95. And ..."

Evans leads Kings over Wizards

Comment

December 17

Sacramento Bee

"Before tipoff Wednesday night, Tyreke Evans was presented with his Western Conference Rookie of the Month award for the first month of the season. By the end of the game, Evans had shown why he might receive that honor more than once this season. Evans' late defensive play and two free throws helped hold off a late charge by the Washington Wizards and give the Kings a 112-109 win over the Wizards in front of an announced crowd of 16,579 at Arco Arena. Evans finished with 26 points, six rebounds and six assists. But his biggest play came when his left hand poked the ball away from Gilbert Arenas with 3.4 seconds left in the game. Evans was fouled by Arenas and made both free throws. A three ..."

Kings hand Wizards sixth straight loss

Comment

December 17

Washington Times

"The Washington Wizards and Sacramento Kings spent much of last season trapped in the NBA's basement and battling for ping-pong balls rather than coveted playoff spots. The Kings finished with two fewer victories than the 19-win Wizards and got the fourth spot in the draft while Washington was awarded the fifth spot. Sacramento used that pick to take Memphis point guard Tyreke Evans. The Wizards traded their pick to Minnesota for Mike Miller and Randy Foye. So far only one team has begun to see a return on their investment and has begun to turn things around. That team is not the Wizards, who on Wednesday night suffered yet another heartbreaking loss, this time 112-109 to Evans and Kings at ..."

Close loss leaves Evans, Kings with a headache

Comment

December 9

Sacramento Bee

"Tyreke Evans' headache wasn't the result of the Kings losing a road game they could have won. Evans fell hard with four-tenths of a second remaining in the first quarter after making a layup. He landed on his chest and face and had the wind knocked out of him. After walking to the locker room and being looked at by doctors to make sure he didn't have a concussion, Evans returned and played well for someone with a throbbing head. But if Evans had a headache because of another frustrating loss, it would have been understandable. The Kings had just lost their fifth consecutive game away from Arco Arena. This time, the New Orleans Hornets escaped with a 96-94 win at New Orleans Arena. Evans ..."

Wade impressed with Evans

Comment

December 7

Sacramento Bee

"Though it's still relatively early in the season, the talk of who the best rookie is this season continues. Kings rookie Tyreke Evans' play keeps him atop any Rookie of the Year talk. Following Sunday's 115-102 loss to the Miami Heat, Evans was still being praised. This time, the kind words came from Heat All-Star guard Dwyane Wade. Though he didn't draw the primary defensive assignment of covering Evans, Wade came away impressed with Evans' play. "He's a good young player," Wade said. "He has the most complete game, as a rookie, in the league. When you talk about the best rookies, he has the most complete game. He can do it all. He's a great player. They have a good pick in him." Wade was ..."

Team celebrates Evans' accolade

Comment

December 2

Sacramento Bee

"It wasn't the first time Tyreke Evans has felt appreciated in his new workplace, but the praise wasn't always this obvious. When the Kings rookie guard arrived at the team's practice facilityTuesday morning, he heard applause from his teammates and surrounding staff. He was named the NBA Western Conference Rookie of the Month, and the individual accolade was more than enough reason for the Kings to celebrate collectively. The organization, which has experienced its darkest stretch in recent seasons, hadn't had one of its rookies win the award since Brian Grant in 1995. For the team's owners to the media relations employees (who routinely petition for such honors), the rejection was a ..."

Evans took heat off teammates vs. Hornets

Comment

December 1

Sacramento Bee

"Had the Kings fallen to New Orleans on Sunday, it would have been frustrating. Instead, it was flattering. The Hornets geared much of their defense toward slowing Kings rookie guard Tyreke Evans and were largely successful. He scored fewer points than he had since Nov. 2 (14) while having as many turnovers as assists (four) and one rebound in 40 minutes. But the move hardly paid off, as the Kings continued their recent trend of finding production from a multitude of players in winning their third in a row and improving to 8-8. "They set their whole defense to stop Tyreke," Kings coach Paul Westphal said. "And (15) games into your career, that's quite a tip of the hat. We had a lot of open ..."

Nets on brink of tying futility mark

Comment

November 28

New York Post

"The Nets are at 16, going on 18. With the Lakers and Mavericks lined up and licking their chops for a crack at them, the winless Nets lost their 16th straight game last night, becoming just the fourth team to do so at the start of a season. The Nets waited until the second half to play with a pulse but it was too late. The Kings ran roughshod early and exhaled with a 109-96 victory here. "We came in and we had a pretty emotional halftime," said Devin Harris (25 points, 6-of-22 shooting) who keyed the comeback with his get-to-the-line aggression (13-of-17 free throws). "The first half was not the way we wanted to come out. Defensively, we were kind of lackadaisical, and we let them get ..."

Kings commit another 21 turnovers in loss to Mavericks

Comment

November 21

Sacramento Bee

"The Kings committed 21 turnovers for the second game in a row, and as a result lost their second consecutive game. This time, the Kings fell to the Dallas Mavericks 104-102 on Friday at American Airlines Center. The Kings have lost 12 in a row in Dallas. Their 21 turnovers led to 24 points for the Mavs. "We're trying not to throw it to the other team," coach Paul Westphal said. "We'll see some results. We're working at it. It's a combination of things." The Kings are just 11 games into Westphal's regime, so there is still a feeling-out process going on with the system and players who aren't used to each other. And the Kings are still having trouble adjusting to what the defense gives them ..."

Evans' defense impresses Westphal

Comment

November 10

Sacramento Bee

"Tyreke Evans' impact on the Kings' offense has been noticeable lately, but he's making just as big an impact on defense. The rookie guard drew high praise from coach Paul Westphal for his defense seven games into his NBA career. Westphal already has no problem asking Evans to defend point guards, shooting guards or small forwards. "Honestly, Tyreke's one of the better defensive players in the league already," Westphal said. "He is very, very solid. He's got great defensive fundamentals, and he can guard ones, twos and threes. He's pretty much our best defender at any of those positions." The coach's compliment was significant to Evans, who said it wasn't long ago that defense was ..."

Tyreke Evans: Already, he gets the point

Comment

October 25

Sacramento Bee

"Tyreke Evans wouldn't tell you the transition to the NBA has been easy. But it sure has looked that way. Evans is already too strong for your average point guard in the post. And he's deceptively fast in transition. He hasn't been around long, but Evans already has the look of a player who can fill the Kings' leadership void. "I think players in this league get as much responsibility as they can handle, for the most part," said Kings coach Paul Westphal. "And so far, (Evans) hasn't come up against an obstacle that he hasn't handled very well. He certainly makes mistakes and has things to work on, but in general he's showing he belongs out there, and he'll take the appropriate steps when ..."

Tyreke Evans bounces back from knee MRI

Comment

October 2

Sacramento Bee

"No one was telling old tales about Arco Arena and its history as a former Indian burial ground Wednesday, but the Kings did spend a few hours wondering if they are cursed. Prized rookie Tyreke Evans was in a doctor's office instead of on the basketball court, receiving an MRI on his left knee that pained him enough to keep him out of the previous night's practice. There was anxiety from co-owners Joe and Gavin Maloof on down with Evans' presence considered key, not only to a good start for the team but an engaged new beginning for the fans. The excitement returned that night when ? not long after the test revealed a bone bruise ? the player known for hitting turbo on the tempo was doing ..."

Evans has bone bruise

Comment

October 1

Sacramento Bee

"Tyreke Evans' pro career will have to begin on the training table. The Kings rookie had an MRI Wednesday afternoon which revealed acute patellar bone bruise in his left knee and is considered day to day. Evans had experienced soreness during Tuesday's workouts and the team took the safe route and ordered the MRI."

Having Evans as teammate thrills Martin

Comment

September 29

Sacramento Bee

"One day before the start of training camp, Kevin Martin remained consistent. He won't call the Kings "his" team, even if his big contract and status as leading scorer would indicate otherwise. And even if you think he'd feel threatened, Martin is still giddy about playing with rookie Tyreke Evans, the fourth overall pick in the June draft. Martin texted the Kings' decision makers the morning of the draft to let them know he wanted Evans, even if some think the former Memphis star is better suited to play Martin's spot at shooting guard. "A lot of people say he's not a true point, but that doesn't matter," Martin said at Kings media day Monday. "The last five years I've been playing with ..."

Westphal not ready to name Evans starter

Comment

July 16

Sacramento Bee

"The new coach took his boss' exuberance with a smile. Paul Westphal could only chuckle when asked about Kings co-owner Gavin Maloof's statement during the Web cast of Monday's NBA Summer League game that rookie Tyreke Evans would be the starting point guard "as soon as he steps on the court." Not so fast. Evans will be a big part of the Kings' plans this coming season. Westphal, however, hasn't committed to hand the team over to the prized rookie from Memphis. "I read that too," Westphal said. "I think maybe Gavin might have gotten it mixed up with the regular season and summer league. … I haven't made any pronouncement like that." Westphal didn't dismiss the idea Evans could be the ..."