Evan Burns

9/10/02: "Evan Burns, a McDonald’s All-America forward from Fairfax High in Los Angeles, has been released from his national letter of intent and will not be admitted to UCLA, the school announced Tuesday afternoon. The athletic department press release said the letter of intent signed by the 6-foot-8 Burns “was voided by UCLA because he did not meet the NCAA’s initial eligibility requirements." - FoxSports

7/2/01: "Blessed with a good frame, Burns has an inside and outside game, with the ability to put the ball on the floor and shoot it from the perimeter. Burns told the Insiders Report that he is considering eight schools going into the July evaluation period, including a top five list of Duke, North Carolina, Georgetown, Arizona and UCLA. Other schools rounding out his list are St. John's, Cincinnati and San Diego State. Burns put up big numbers as a junior at Fairfax, averaging 29 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three blocks per game. At this past weekend's NBA Players Association Camp, Burns told the Insiders Report that he has a 2.3 GPA and will not take the SAT until the fall. In the past, Burns had played with Dinos Trigonis' Belmont Shore program, but he stated that he will not play any travel team ball this summer. In fact, the only event he will attend in July, he said, will be the Nike All-American Camp in Indianapolis a bit later this month." - Blue Chip Hoops

6/4: "All Star Report recently spoke with Bob Burns, father of 6-8, 205 lb., California junior Evan Burns, about his son's recruitment. Burns is arguably the top rising senior on the West Coast, and one of the Top 10 prospects nationally in the Class of 2002. "It's wide open at this point," said Bob Burns of his son's recruitment. "Evan's going to take his time and make the best decision for him." Burns told us that UCLA, Duke, North Carolina, Arizona State, Arizona, and San Diego State, are all schools that interest his son. Burns reportedly maintains roughly a 2.5 GPA, and according to his father, will take the PSAT sometime this summer. Burns will continue to compete this spring and summer with Team Dada (CA) and is expected to attend the Nike All-America Camp in Indianapolis, Indiana next month. At the recent Tournament of Champions, Evan finished fifth in scoring at 26.3 points per game, and was selected to the all-tournament team." - All Star Report

5/9: #10 Junior. "Burns earned a reputation as the best in the west. He's a skilled scorer whose game extends beyond 3-point range." - Sporting News

4/24: Listed as the 8th best overall player in his class. - HoopScoop

3/30: "Scholastically, Evan appears to be on much more solid footing than realize. Coach Kitani told ACC Recruiting that Evan is in the process of overcoming past academic difficulties, and he presently maintains a respectable 2.5 grade point average. Evan is also scheduled to take the SAT examination in June, and he is enrolled in preparatory classes in order to achieve the desired score. According to Coach Kitani, UCLA and Arizona may be the most heavily involved programs in Evan's recruitment at this juncture, though he readily admits that other programs including Duke, North Carolina, Maryland, Louisville, Southern Cal, Kentucky, and San Diego State have expressed interest." - ACC Recruiting Update (4 to 2)

3/21: named the 13th best SF in the country, regardless of class. "Possesses enormous talent but must improve his decision-making on the court in order to reach his potential." - Brick Oettinger

3/20: "played extremely well at the Pump Discovery Shootout in Dominguez Hills this weekend. After having somewhat of a down junior year for Fairfax, where he seemed limited by the Fairfax offense and perhaps was getting frozen out by some teammates, Burns again showed the spectacular game that gave him the rep as one of the best players in the country. With so much being talked about when it comes to Burns' future, we sat down with him and his mom to give them the opportunity to address a few issues. First issue: Burns' academics. His mother wanted to emphasize that reports about him struggling academically are incorrect. "He's on track to qualify," she said. "He hasn't taken the SAT yet, but his grades are fine. If he stays on track, he'll be fine." Issue #2: The NBA. Burns himself said he's not even considering it as an option right now. "The NBA is a dream," he said. "But I'm not planning on it, even thinking about it right out of high school. I'm planning on going to college." Issue #3: Reports have him strongly leaning toward UCLA. Burns' mother wanted to make it clear that her son has not committed and is still open. When asked the schools he liked, he said, "UCLA, Duke, Arizona State and, oh, Arizona." Burns said, though, that location is an issue, as well as other factors. "I'd like to stay close to home," he said. "And the environment, players on the team, and the coach will all be factors." When asked if he had unofficially visited any of the schools on his list, he said, "I go up to UCLA with my friends to play ball. I know the campus pretty well. So, I'm comfortable there." Is he planning on committing in November or will he wait? "I'm not sure at this point," he said. "I might want to wait until later." - PacWest Hoops

2/7: "Top junior in the West): One of the most talented and exciting juniors in the nation, albeit wild at times, is 6-7 Evan Burns of Los Angeles Fairfax." - Brick O., CNN SI

1/3/01: Listed as the best SF in the USA, in the 2002 class. - Ohio Preps

12/28: "Evan Burns was almost a non-factor (in a loss to Dobson HS of Mesa, AZ) as he was held to only 8 points. Burns was a victim of his own passiveness, as well as teammates who didn't do a good job of getting him the ball. Evan has all the talent in the world, but he's hurt by the fact that he only touches the ball about once out of every four possessions. And he also does a very poor job of getting himself involved. He stands around a lot on the perimeter and he's not aggressive in calling for the ball. Fairfax has way too much talent to be playing as poorly as they have so far this year and it's disappointing to watch that much talent playing such disorganized basketball." - PacWest Hoops

12/15: "Burns is potentially the most complete player to ever come out of California," said California scout and Belmont Shore coach Dinos Trigonis. We agree -- he may be -- but potential and performance are two different things, but if anyone can do it, it's Evan Burns. He is a premium forward -- complete with a blend of athleticism, polish, a perimeter and interior game and a knack for the exciting plays. Burns, similar in build to Scottie Pippen is one of the most explosive players to watch in the class of 2002. He certainly has all of the tools to accomplish the feat. As far as an early list for Burns -- the general consensus is that UCLA, Duke, North Carolina and CINCINNATI are the four major players for a commitment from the southern California stud -- oh yeah -- but don't count out the NBA being a strong contender in the sweepstakes. You can count on seeing a few of those well-traveled NBA scouts at his games this summer." - High Major Hoops

12/11: "wowed scouts and coaches this past summer with a number of outstanding performances. Some analysts have even gone so far to suggest that he may be the #1 player in the country. We haven't seen the other top national players often enough to know if that's warranted, but there's no question in our minds that Burns is probably one of the top ten prospects in the country.

The reason Burns is garnering so much praise is very simple -- you just don't find many 6-6 guys with his combination of athleticism and skills. One minute he's stepping out for a three-pointer from NBA range, the next minute he's driving the lane and dunking on players 3-4 inches taller than him. He excels in a transition game because of his ball-handling skills and ability to finish. Put him in the open court with the ball in his hands and not many high school players are going to be able to stop him. Perhaps because he is so gifted, Burns has a tendency to coast at times. He doesn't always play with the intensity that you'd like to see, especially on the defensive end, and he will also sometimes drift on the perimeter on offense. In order to fulfill his potential, Evan is going to need to change his mindset and adopt more of a killer instinct when he's on the court. Like most juniors in high school, Evan needs to add strength -- although he's not skinny, he is somewhat slender. He can dominate in high school due to his size and leaping ability, but in order to do the same thing in college, he'll need to get stronger. Speaking of college, we've been getting a lot of questions about where Evan may end up. Although he has mentioned UCLA and Duke in the past, we don't believe either school should be considered a leader at this point. It's still very early, obviously, and it doesn't look like he's anywhere close to getting serious about choosing a school. And one thing that may complicate his ability to choose is academics. We've heard from a couple different sources that he may have trouble qualifying. Also, one source told us that the NBA might be a possibility -- regardless of whether Burns is qualified or not. Unlike a Tyson Chandler, who at 7-0 was obviously an NBA prospect even as a junior, Burns is only 6-6 and it's still too early to get a feel for his chances of going straight to the league. However, with the NBA now routinely taking 3-4 of the top high school players each year, you can be sure that Burns will at least draw interest from pro scouts." - PacWest Hoops

11/17: "The top ranked junior in the state is 6'7 Jr Evans Burns from Los Angeles" - HoopScoop

10/00: With 6-7 Andre Patterson and 6-6 Dijon Thompson verbally commiting to UCLA, this likely changes the thoughts of Evan Burns in attending there. He has mentioned UCLA, Duke and CINCINNATI most recently. - Mike Ryan

10/16: 12th best player in his class - Steve Wacaser, Sporting News

10/00: "Burns is an athletic wing forward that can makes things happen on the floor. Very quick off of his feet, nice leaping ability, body control and soft touch with either hand on the drive. Tremendous court vision and knack for making great passes with zip. Has shown ability to play in the post. Effective shot from the perimeter to the arc and great finisher in traffic. Burns is a premier forward who will be recruited at the highest level." - High Major Hoops

9/29: Burns is the #3 ranked player in his class - Hoop Scoop

9/20: "Sportin' the best 'fro at the invite, Burns's super-smooth game and above the rim play conjured up images of - yeah, we know any comparison is ludicrous - Dr. J. The 6-7 phenom from LA balled for his pop’s Belmont Shores squad. Burns told HTV he patterns his game after Allan Houston. No doubt." - HoopsTV

9/16: "6’7 Jr Evan Burns from Los Angeles (Fairfax) CA. . . now ranks as the #1 junior nationally by the HOOP SCOOP, tells us that UCLA is one of his early favorites, along with Duke and CINCINNATI." - HoopScoop



9/13: Listed as the 13th best player in his class. - Rivals100 Hoops

9/12: "At the top of the list is 6'7 Jr Evans Burns from Los Angeles (Fairfax) CA, who currently is ranked as the #12 junior nationally by the HOOP SCOOP, as well as the #1 junior in California. But this weekend he took his game to another level! As a matter of fact, there is nothing this phenomenal athlete can't do. He can beat you inside or outside, he can spot up or take you off the dribble, and he's got the hang time and explosiveness necessary to defy both gravity and description. As a result, Burns, who likes UCLA, Duke, and Cincinnati, now ranks as the #1 junior nationally ahead of 6'6 Jr Leonard Cooke from Old Tappan (H.S.) NJ and 6'9 Amare Stoudamire from Durham (Mt. Zion Christian) NC." - HoopScoop

9/11: "Burns continued his excellent summer, scoring over 20 points in almost all his games. He good from three-point land, ballhandles like a guard, and has big-time leaping ability." - FoxSports

9/8: "5th best player in 2002 class" - Break-Down.com

8/23: "Standing at 6'7 and 190 pounds, Evan Burns (Fairfax HS-Los Angeles, CA) is a junior that has the skills to be reckoned with. He blasted onto the scene at the Bob Gibbons' TOC earlier this spring with performances that reminded onlookers of a cross between Scottie Pippen and Toby Bailey. We spoke with Belmont Shore coach, Dinos Trigonis yesterday and got the early word on the southern California phenom. "Evan's mother does not like the summer basketball scene, so I don't know if he's going to be out much next summer, he may end up taking the Marcus Taylor route," explained Trigonis. Burns also may have some academic problems to address this season, especially if he still desires to be considered by his early list of favorites which include Duke, UCLA and Arizona. We interviewed Burns after a performance in Cameron Indoor Stadium in which he offered "I love this place, I would love to come to Duke." Sounds like an early favorite, at least from his standpoint. He is a fine slasher and leaper with a good handle and eye for open teammates. Burns has incredibly soft hands and is very skilled with the ball in traffic. Skilled wing forwards are hard to find lately and Burns may prove to be one of the finest in that category next year, provided he works on his academics and is on display next summer." - High Major Hoops

8/16: >Not< listed on Brick's top 25 players list. - Brick O at the Sporting News

8/11: Listed as the number SF on the West COast. "Burns is a phenomenal athlete and Top 10 national junior prospect with great skills and size for a wing player (his ideal college position)" - SoCal Hoops

8/8: "Burns, a 6-7 runner/jumper/skywalker-type, had several steals and a coast-to-coast flying dunk. He has a chance to be special. He received good notice in the late spring at a national tournament and can really establish himself as one of the elite talents in the Class of 2002 with a strong performance at Nike." - ESPN, Nike Notes

8/00: "Burns was one of the first underclassmen to catch my eye. This 6'7" forward has good ball handling skills, a nice shot from the outside, and provided some spectacular plays and finishes around the basket. He's very athletic and explosive. It seemed like every time I turned to one of Belmont Shore's games, Burns would be doing something positive. I have no idea what schools he's considering. The Spring 2000 issue of PrepStars ranks the top 25 sophomores and lists about 45 others and Burns name was not on the list. After this tournament, I have a feeling it might be, or at least will get consideration." - UNCBasketball.com, TOC notes

Summer 00: SoCal Hoops lists Evan at 6'5".

8/00: "Burns impressed the contingent of recruiters, media members, and fans alike w/ his consistent Nike play. Evan is an excellent SF prospect w/ all the necessary tools. He has a nice muscular body and plays hard. Evan’s strengths include nice rebounding skills, an above-average three-point shot, and his variety of dribbling moves. He plays the post well and possesses a sweet stroke from deep. This player will be watched by the elite programs in the year to come. Burns is a star." - Kentuckywildcats.net, Nike Camp Notes

7/11: "Burns will be the next big thing on the West Coast, following Tyson Chandler as the No. 1 player in California. Burns has all the tools for greatness — tremendous jumping ability, good ballhandling skills, live body and soft shooting touch. Once he gains consistency from three-point land, defenders will be at his mercy." - FoxSports

6/26/00: "A serious contender for the No. 1 ranking in the Class of 2002, Burns is explosive small forward prospect. He's got good ballhandling ability, finishes with authority and has great size for a small forward. He's also a dangerous outside shooter with a soft touch." - FoxSports

5/30: "One of the better underclassmen that we viewed all weekend was 6'7 rising junior Forward Evan Burns with Belmont Shore. He took some of the pressure off of Rick Rickert and Dennis Latimore and actually led the Belmont Shore squad in scoring, as well as making the 17-and-under All-Tournament team. Burns had some beautiful moves to the hoop that he finished with powerful dunks both in the open floor and in traffic. He had some highlight reel passes over the weekend and threw a full court alley-oop pass that was on the money. Burns also showed defensive tenacity and a quick first step, and often times found himself defending the opposing teams best scorer. Burns is one of the names to file away and will certainly compete for high honors next year if his game continues to progress." - High Major Hoops

PICTURE:
http://www.uncbasketball.com/recruiting/gibbons00/und_notes_photos.html
http://www.fullctpress.com/Evan_Burns_photo.htm