#UNC point guard Kyan Evans

Kyle, Andrew Jones, Tar Hill 247. Nice

to meet you. Welcome you here.

Uh first question is uh your game

exploded kind of late last year which

you guys which you start you guys were

really really good and sort of took off.

What was it that you saw in your game

grow during that period that enabled to

push the team to finishing 215?

Uh yeah, I think um towards the middle

of the year I just kind of got a burst

of confidence. you know, I didn't play

too much my freshman year, so I didn't

know how good I was going to be in in

the college game. It's a lot different

than high school. Everybody knows that.

So, just kind of a burst of confidence

there. And then as a team, we just came

together and um yeah, we just went on a

strong run there at the end.

Was there a game, a specific game or

stretch of games where your confidence

went from I think I can do this to I

know I can do this? Yeah, we had um we

had like right towards the end of

non-conference, I I kind of had a decent

game or so and then um when conference

started, we played uh Nevada and then

that was kind of my game where I was

like, "All right, I'm I'm here and and I

can do this and pretty good." So, that

was a game.

Ken Marks from the Athletic. Nice to

meet you. Um you're obviously playing

with Nick last year. Are there things

that you take away from that experience

that you think translate now to being

able to share the back court with

somebody like Seth?

Yeah, definitely. Um, playing with Nick

was obviously amazing. He's obviously is

what he is. He's a first round draft

pick for a reason. And so, yeah, playing

with him just helps me understand to

play with other players. I mean, Seth,

Luca, like everybody. We got a lot of

dudes here. So, it's um, it's always

good to play with better players. So,

it's definitely a good learning

experience.

Kind of along the Adam Smith with Inside

Carolina. Got ahead of myself. Along

those lines, good question. I was going

to ask the same thing. Um, what how do

you envision maybe the ball handling

roles working out here with Seth, with

Luca, with yourself? I mean, do you

think there's a primary bar ball

handler? Are you the primary ball

handler, or how do you just sort of

envision it shaking out that way?

Um, to be honest, we're not really sure

yet. I think, um, I think I'm a point

guard, so I'm going be do what a point

guard does and and I'm going handle the

ball, but I think they'll handle the

ball as well. And I think um HD is just

gonna put us in the best position to be

successful and whatever that is. I don't

know what it looks like now, but I think

we'll all be pretty good at it and we'll

excel at it.

Inside Carolina. Nice to meet you. One

question I want to ask you. You talking

about, you know, playing point guard and

things like that. You've been in the

game the two years at this point. How

have you seen, I guess, your

understanding and evolution of the point

guard position change, you know, since

you've been in college. like for

yourself individually, what have you

learned about a position that's

different than when you first?

Um, I would just say uh just the

leadership, the role of leadership that

a point guard has to have in and the the

control of a game that a point guard has

to have, it's um it's a big difference,

like I said, high school to college. So,

it's something you definitely just learn

over time, but I think just controlling

the game.

Ken of Michael Co, wchl chapel.com. Nice

to meet you. Welcome to Chapel Hill.

All right, everybody. Nice to meet him.

All right. Nice to meet you. Go ahead.

Um, speaking of Seth, how instrumental

was he in getting you here to Chapel

Hill? Obviously, someone you're going to

have to play with and practice and go

against a lot um during your time as a

party.

Yeah. Um, I think just Seth was really

intriguing to me when I was in the

portal. I came here and um I I knew him.

I seen him play in high school before in

the EBL, so I knew who he was and I

obviously seen him here and I know he's

good. So, you just want to um really

just surround yourself around other good

players that you feel you can connect

with and and get better from. So, for

sure, I think I just came here and seen

him and envisioned a back court with us

being extremely good.

So, did you play against him in the UI

or he just saw him?

Uh, nah, he's a year older than me. I

just seen him play one time. I didn't

play him.

Noah Weissco Tarno 24/7. Speaking on the

portal, I'm curious just what was your

experience being in that in the portal?

Um, I know some guys have crazy

experiences of their phone going off all

the time non-stop like what was your

experience there and when did UNCC

become evident that it would be a stop

for you?

Uh, yeah, the portal definitely is

craziest. A lot of phone calls, a lot of

Zooms, but um I think I seen and

envision UNCC being the spot. I mean

really when they called and when we got

off the Zoom like right then and there I

kind of had a good feeling about him. I

mean I wasn't sure but just kind of

thought about it for a few days after

the Zoom and then I knew it was the spot

for me. K to that point like what were

the biggest things you were looking for

in the portal and what was Hubert's

pitch to you specifically as far as how

he envisioned you fitting in? Um, I

mean, my main things in the portal was

just I wanted to be at a winning school

and I wanted to go somewhere that will

make a run in March and and that's the

main thing for me. And then I think his

pitch was honestly that he wants to get

back to winning and he wants to do it

now. And so we connected on that and

then what better place than UNCC?

Okay. So, um, I'm curious. So, you

talked about how about like third or

fourth grade, you had a coach that would

that had you one day like practice the

double clutch Marcus Paige shot. What

was it like um actually meeting, you

know, Marcus once you got here? And just

tell me a little about working with him

again as

Yeah, it was just it was kind of just a

fun little moment. He just said shoot

the double clutch shot. But, um nah,

getting here and meeting him is is a

good experience. I mean, he's somebody

that had so much success here. So, he's

definitely just a great person to um you

know, just talk to on a daily and ask

him what he did to succeed here and

almost try and follow his footsteps in a

way.

Hey, Kayon Miles from ABC11 in Raleigh.

Uh you also talked a little bit about um

previously meeting this being a family.

Um what did you know about Carolina

before you made the decision to come

here? Um, has there been anything that's

kind of blown your mind since you've

been here?

Um,

I mean, there's been a lot that I knew

and then obviously there's so much that

you just can't know until you get here.

And I would just say um the amount of

guys that come back and feed back into

us and want to see us succeed is is

definitely something that's been um

opening to me and just really showed me

what North Carolina is not only as a

basketball program but just so much

bigger than that. And um that's been the

main thing though for sure. Hey guy,

Poss from WL. Um, one of your new

teammates, Caleb Wilson, went a little

viral for some comments he made about

the rivalries in the area, you know, NC

State and Duke as a new guy here. What

are your thoughts on some of the rivalry

games you're going to have this year?

Um, you know, I really haven't thought

too much into him yet. I mean, we're

just trying to get better every single

day now. Uh, I know Caleb feels a little

bit of a different way, but um, he's

young and confident and and we love him

for that, for sure. So, uh, I mean, I'm

glad he feels that way.

Kyle,

I know at 6'2 and 175, you're the second

tallest guy or second shortest type guy

on the team and the the lightest, no

knock to your size, but when you come

out here and you got to guard players in

practice who are taller than you across

the board. How do you how does that make

you better defender and kind of fit into

this team?

Um, yeah, that's definitely something I

had to um figure out last year as well.

Just being on a college court, not not

being the biggest guy is different. You

got to be really physical and and um you

know, you got to kind of use some things

to your strengths. So, there's

definitely ways just I had to learn and

figure out how to guard bigger guys. For

sure.

I don't know if I'm important for you.

Which players did you idolize growing up

as a kid? And are there certain players

that you tried to pattern your game

after? Um, I don't know if I've really

tried to pattern my game after anybody,

but um, I mean, I've always been a

really big LeBron guy. And then, um, you

know, I didn't like Curry back in the

day when he used to beat LeBron. But

ever since, uh, you know, I watched the

Olympics kind of came around and then

when he did what he did, I really

started to um, just realize how great he

is too as a as a guard. And then there's

there's other guards that I like like

Chris Paul. There's there's some guys

out there, but um you know, I just watch

a lot of basketball and enjoy people for

what they're doing now, but I wouldn't

say I um model my game after anybody.

Could you give a self scouting report?

In addition to that, some of the guys

that cover the Mountain West say that

you actually play a little longer than

you are.

Is that true? And tell us why that's

true.

Um I mean, I think I would say that's

true. And I would just say it's just

from um I mean I've always played

basketball my whole life and I've always

been I mean I haven't been the biggest

but uh I haven't been the smallest

either but I always play with older

people so I think I have good instincts

that way especially defensively. So I

think my instincts are well and then I

think that just helps me. So I would say

yeah

and then scout report. Uh, I'm just a

guy. You can't leave any space. No

space. And then I mean, you want to try

and keep me out the paint cuz I'm going

to get my teammates involved, but it's

hard to do both. So, good luck.

Could you give us a scouting report,

too, on just Henry you were about to

speak to? Maybe what's impressed you the

most about working with him so far?

Um, now Henry is uh he's definitely a

freak. Uh, he's uh I mean he's a seven

seven foot, what do they say? 7 foot

really skilled big man that that um you

know he can shoot a little bit too but I

remember I just little like the first

week we got here uh I don't know who it

was but he just started getting the ball

on the block and he was dunking on

people backwards so I don't know if he

going to pull that out in the game or

not but

you don't know who it was was it maybe

n I don't think I know who it was

got you to play geogesser yet

yeah we actually we played it in um

during free time in class Kai and Rob

Baxley, Fable Observer. What have you

learned about being a lead guard at

Carolina, whether it's been a pickup

with some former players, Coach Davis,

what have you learned so far to that

aspect?

Um, I think I just learned that, you

know, Carolina across the board is just

all I mean, you get a lot of stars here,

so it's different being a leader here

than than other places, I would say. But

everybody wants to win. So, at the same

time, they'll listen to you and and

they'll feed back to you, too. So, not

the only one leading here as well. So,

it makes it a lot easier.

Yeah. How have you adapted to playing

guard with all these guys? I know it's

only been a lot of pickup and practices

so far, but what have you learned in

that aspect?

Um, honestly, I mean, I'm not going to

say it's easier, but almost is easier.

You know, when you're throwing the ball

to Seth Trimble in transition, it's easy

to make a hit. He'll make a play for

you. So, you know, it's it's different

that way, but um at the same time, we

just building every day, trying to get

better and just getting more connected

that way.

What What have you seen from Henry in

terms of like the pick and roll game?

That seems like it could be a a big

asset to what he brings. Like is is he

smooth in that area? Like just what what

have you seen so far working that way?

He's just a a super skilled big. So, you

know, sometimes he may pop and and he'll

shoot a three, but another time you

might hit him in the short roll and and

he can make a a lob pass to Caleb or he

can kick it to the weak side for a

corner three or anything. So, you never

know with him. I mean, he can he can

beat you a lot of ways. He has a he has

good touch, too, so he has a good flow

game, but um no, yeah, he he's good.

He's special for sure.

K, what's been your early impressions of

Caleb Wilson? Obviously comes in as a

you know, highly touted guy and

everything. just in playing with him and

getting to know him a little bit. What

stands out about uh his game and just

what he's like?

Mhm. I mean, Caleb, he's obviously we

all know he's extremely skilled and

extreme extremely skilled, but um a lot

of times with young stars, you never

know what their mindset will be like,

how hard they're going to work, and and

he's a guy that um honestly is is off

the charts on on all levels. So, he's a

guy I'm not really like worried about in

any way. And um you know, he's he

surprised me with some things. He's

obviously freak athlete, but he's got a

little dog in him. He gonna yell at you

if he dunks on you. So, um I really like

that about him for sure. But, uh he'll

be special this year. Definitely.

Got time for a couple more grand if on

the side. Uh you know, UNCC's had a lot

of point guards and you know, every

player brings their own style. How are

you aiming to make your own mark on the

program?

Um I mean, I think you make marks on

programs like this by by winning big

games. So, I'm just looking forward to

winning big games and winning winning in

big moments and making big plays for the

team to win. That's all I'm looking for.

Did you ever envision yourself, you

know, not only be in this environment,

but getting a chance to play at Duke, at

Cameron, playing at NC State and places

like that around the ACC?

Um, I started to envision it when I came

here. So, uh, I'm ready for it now and

and when that time comes, I'll

definitely be ready.

How's it been kind of meing so many new

players together and getting some

chemistry

you know, where do you have not played

with most of these players and how

competitive have the workouts been?

Uh, it it's been good knowing every

getting to know everybody. It's um it's

an environment where everybody's good.

So, everybody's getting better every

single day and and the way we compete

just creates more just a better

atmosphere for everybody and every day

is getting better, more connected and

more competitive. So, it's always a good

thing.

Last one,

you were one of the best shooters in the

country last year. Um, where did you

learn how to shoot?

Uh, we got I got a really competitive

family. So, I would say my dad, my

sisters, my brother, even my mom. We

always we used to do shooting contests

when we were when I was little. So, just

always from a kid, everybody thought

they were the best shooter in the

family. But, um, I kind of solidified

that last year.

Was there anybody who like shot you like

emulated or tried to like sort of tie

the mechanics of it?

Um, I mean, I learned how to shoot from

my dad. Uh my brother my brother's a

really good shooter too. Um but no just

kind of runs in a family. We always

shooters so just kind of learn grew up

watching shooters. That's all it is.

All right. Everything.