What’s in a journey? For Allen’s Xavier Evans, it’s 1,200 miles and a stop at one of the most well-known sports schools in the country.
Evans, a freshman forward from Arlington, Va., has been making plays all season for the Red Devils, but his collegiate journey didn’t start at Allen.
After graduating from Wakefield High School, Evans took a post-grad year at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. IMG is a powerhouse sports academy that has produced a plethora of sports stars in its short history, but for Evans, a post-grad year was a chance to gain experience while maintaining his collegiate eligibility.
“IMG was a great experience,” Evans said. “I learned a lot. It definitely was needed. It was a good place for me to go with all the facilities. Everyone knows IMG, everyone wants to beat IMG. At IMG, you have a big target on your back.”
Evans’ love of basketball began at age 3 when his mother gave him a basketball.
“Basketball was passed down to me. My mom played basketball back in her high school and college days,” Evans remarked. “When I got the basketball in my hands, it was destiny for me to start playing.”
Allen is a long way from the Virginia-Delaware-Maryland metro area. Being that far from the DMV, there has been some adjustment and some culture shock for Evans.
“Basketball at Allen, at a Kansas junior college, is a lot faster-paced and more competitive than high school basketball was,” Evans said. “The conference is tough and you get it each night. It’s very physical.”
That culture shock extends outside of basketball as well.
“Coming from the DMV area, a big city, it’s a lot different,” Evans said. “Coming to a rural area like this where there aren’t as many people has been a big adjustment, but I think I’ve been able to adjust pretty well so far.”
Coming a week before school officially began helped Evans learn the lay of the land.
“I had a good amount of time to get adjusted to life here and what they expect of me,” Evans said.”
In 2020, Evans went viral for a huge dunk he made during a game at Wakefield. The dunk is a big part of Evans’ game. Standing at 6’6”, Evans towers over his fair share of defenders.
“It’s a cool feeling knowing that my highlights and hard work are being recognized,” Evans said. “Dunking is a big confidence boost. When you dunk on someone, you get a rush, it gives the crowd a reason to get loud and get into the game. It can help swing momentum. It’s almost like ‘yeah, I just did that and I’m better than you.’”
Like a lot of players that choose the junior college route, Evans has seen himself mature on and off the court.
