OSU Freshman Jawun Evans' Recent Performances Attract National Attention

Oklahoma State freshman point guard Jawun Evans continued to shine Tuesday night, finishing with 22 points, eight assists, six rebounds and two steals in the Cowboys 86-67 upset of No. 3 Kansas.

"We hit shots, our defense was there, and I just thought it would be a great night for us," said Evans.

The win marked OSU’s third straight victory over KU and the fifth in seven years. But this year the Cowboys had Evans and Jayhawks head coach Bill Self, who is an Oklahoma State alumni and a former Cowboys player and assistant coach, took notice.

“I think he’s great,” said Self. “You can talk about other freshmen in the country; he’s right up there with them. He’s great.”

In the win, senior guard Jeff Newberry added 13 points. After the game, Newberry said Evans was one of the most humble players he’s ever played with.

“He is very eager to learn and listen,” explained Newberry. “He doesn’t just take praise to the good stuff; he wants to know what he did wrong. I like that he consistently wants to get better every day and comes calm and collected, knowing he has to lead the team.”

Evans standout performance against Kansas isn’t his only impressive showing. In the team’s Jan. 13 game against then-No.2 Oklahoma, Evans hit 42 points, tying the third-most in OSU history and the most ever for a Cowboy freshman.

The upset snapped a four-game losing streak for the Cowboys and contributed some newfound confidence for the team to have at Kansas State this Saturday.

His recent performances have not only attracted national attention but also earned him the CBS Freshman Player of the Week after his Bedlam takeover.

“He’s probably the best I’ve ever seen at understanding when to shoot and when to pass,” said Ford of his new team leader. “He can go out and get you 20, 25, 30 points or 10, 11, or 12 assists.”

Evans is currently averaging 12.9 points per game, 5.1 assists, 4.4 rebounds and 1.2 steals.

And with the way he’s playing now, he’s proving that he’s an elite player and one of the nation's top freshman.