VCU Basketball: In-depth look at Rams senior guard Marcus Evans

By Bryan Mauro | Jul 10, 2019

COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA - MARCH 22: Marcus Evans #2 of the Virginia Commonwealth Rams reacts against the UCF Knights in the first half during the first round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Colonial Life Arena on March 22, 2019 in Columbia, South Carolina. (Photo by Streeter Lecka/Getty Images) /

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – DECEMBER 09: Marcus Evans #2 of the VCU Rams shoots over Kihei Clark #0 and De’Andre Hunter #12 of the Virginia Cavaliers in the first half during a game at John Paul Jones Arena on December 9, 2018 in Charlottesville, Virginia. (Photo by Ryan M. Kelly/Getty Images) /

Why you should know about Marcus Evans

As mentioned above, the senior’s path to stardom is a feel good story. While at Rice the guard left with career averages of 20.1 points per game, which put him as one of the best guards in the entire country and not just at the mid-major level. Once he decided to leave his first school and follow his coach to VCU the road got rocky. The guard had back-to-back Achilles surgeries and is coming back this season for his final go around in the college ranks.

Many players would have called it a career after back-to-back Achilles surgeries. Evans used it as motivation to come back stronger and show that he can put the injuries behind him. The guard became the catalyst for the Rams run to the NCAA tournament last year. His 13 points per game led the balanced attack for VCU. It was hard to imagine after everything the senior had gone through that he was any where to close to 100% last year and was still working his way into the form he displayed at Rice.

Evans hates leaving the basketball floor and is a grinder as evidenced by the gruesome knee injury he suffered in the first game of the A10 Tournament against Rhode Island, a game which VCU lost, to then turn around and play in the NCAA tournament a few days later. When Evans went down in the A10 tournament it showed everyone how important one player can be to a team. The Rams were not themselves the rest of the game and lost to a team in Rhode Island that they were better than. The senior guard is a tremendous team leader and one of the toughest players in the country, he makes VCU and A10 basketball a better product and has NBA potential if he can stay healthy.