The mere sight of Iowa forward Reggie Evans can strike fear in the hearts of those Big Ten forwards unfortunate enough to guard him.
He is a hulking 6-foot-8, 245-pound rebounding monster, muscle-bound and gifted with great instincts under the boards, ferocious desire, and what his coach Steve Alford calls a warrior-like mentality. His talents and heart have made him arguably the Big Ten's strongest inside presence, and almost inarguably its best rebounder.
Evans and his Hawkeyes play Penn State tonight at The Bryce Jordan Center at 8.
Last season he led the nation in rebounding with 11.9 rebounds per game, and he is ranked third in the country thus far this season, pulling down 11.4 boards per contest. That statistic makes him the conference's leader by a staggering margin of more than three rebounds per game over Indiana's Jared Jeffries. He also averages 16.0 points per game, fifth best in the conference.
However, as awe-inspiring as his intimidating physique and robust statistics are, none of that would have been visible to the college basketball nation had it not been for what is perhaps his most impressive attribute -- his perseverance. After not receiving recruiting interest from any major colleges or universities, Evans dedicated himself to basketball in junior college and developed himself into the dominant force he is today.
However, his high school accolades weren't enough to attract the attention of any major universities, so Evans headed off to junior college in Coffeyville, Kan.
Instead of feeling insulted, Evans used his two years at Coffeyville to make sure he was better prepared the next time the opportunity to play top-level college basketball presented itself.
"It more motivated me than anything," Evans said. "I had to make sure that when the time did come around I was ready. I knew I was going to have to work."
Evans struggled with the change of scenery, leaving the medium-sized city of Pensacola for tiny Coffeyville, but the lack of distraction allowed him to direct all of his attention to basketball.
"It was real hard going there from Pensacola," he said. "You could drive one block (in Coffeyville) and be out of the town. It was so boring, and it was hard being far away from home, but I just focused on basketball and lifted weights. It was a whole lot easier without any distractions."
Evans' dedication was evident on the court. He was named the Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference Freshman of the Year in his first year in Coffeyville, and in his second season, he averaged 22.5 points per game and a region-leading 12 rebounds per contest. He garnered junior college All-American honors and was named one of the top 10 junior college players in the nation by Slam Magazine.
Major college scouts were no stranger to Coffeyville, which produced six Div. I transfers in the two seasons Evans was there, and the Hawkeyes won the sweepstakes for the brawny power forward.
Evans' physical play and toughness is revered by all conference coaches, especially his own.
"He's a workhorse," Alford said in the Big Ten teleconference Jan. 21. "He's relentless. He makes you play every time you go against him."
Evans and Alford both know the importance work ethic has on Evans' game, and that he has to maintain that if he wants to continue to have this level of success on a higher level of basketball.
"That's what it all boils down to," Evans said. "It's business, you have to buckle up and go at it as hard as you can. That's the only way you're going to get anywhere."
