Just Stay Tuned: Tosan Evbuomwan '23
12/20/2023
When the final buzzer sounded on a chilly Sunday night in Hoffman Estates, Illinois, the Motor City Cruise had edged the Windy City Bulls, 104-102 and clinched a spot in the 2023 NBA G League Winter Showcase Cup Tournament. Tosan Evbuomwan ’23 led the game in assists, handing out seven, picking up where he left off at Princeton.
In addition to his game-high seven assists, Evbuomwan had 14 points, four rebounds, two steals and one block. As he did during his career as a Tiger, Evbuomwan has been stuffing the stat sheet for the Cruise, averaging 14.1 points on 53.8 percent shooting, 7.7 rebounds, 4.7 assists and 1.0 blocks. His play was key to Motor City clinching a spot in the Showcase Cup Tournament, which takes place in Orlando, Florida, from December 19 - 22.
A culmination of the Showcase Cup, The G League Winter Showcase has teams placed into four regions and playing 14 games exclusively against each other. The teams with the best winning percentage in each region, along with the next four teams with the best winning percentages regardless of region, advanced to compete for the Showcase Cup Championship in a single-elimination tournament during the Winter Showcase. The remaining teams play two games each outside of the Showcase Cup Tournament at the Winer Showcase.
Evbuomwan has produced stat lines in the G League like those that were his norm at Princeton. Take, for example, the 18-point, 12-rebound, five-assist, two-block masterpiece he produced against the Grand Rapids Gold on Nov. 18. Or, his 17 points, nine rebounds, eight assists and two steals on Dec. 12 against the Sioux Falls Skyforce. How about his 16 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists on Nov. 24 against the Cleveland Charge? Or, his 24 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals against the Iowa Wolves on Nov. 20. The list goes on.
In short, a lot of scouts are watching Evbuomwan and the Cruise closely in Orlando.
Just stayed tuned.Jamelle McMillan
Jamelle McMillan, Motor City Cruise Head Coach and NBA G League Coach of the Month for November, has built a strong relationship with Evbuomwan over the past few months and is relishing the opportunity to coach the former Princeton standout.
“He's going to be a force, he's going to be a player,” said McMillan. “He's not done by any means. This isn't his ceiling. We've had his name float around recently with major ball clubs. He's got a lot of eyes on him; some good things are in store for him. He’s going to give himself the best chance to pursue those opportunities and to elevate our basketball team.”
McMillan notes that Evbuomwan’s basketball IQ, feel for the game as a connector and his ability to play all over the court position-wise generated buzz right off the jump. McMillan has been impressed by Evbuomwan’s ability to play and defend multiple positions, get by defenders, and make plays for himself and others while also having the ability to play in the post. Evbuomwan is also shooting over 40 percent on corner threes, another facet of his game that has impressed McMillan and Motor City's coaching staff. He describes Evbuomwan as an “everyday guy” who constantly seeks out extra help from the coaches to try and expand his game.
Despite his impressive stats, McMillan rarely has to draw up plays for Evbuomwan.
“It’s a really cool thing I’ve noticed with a couple players over the years,” said McMillan. “He’s able to get his game from within the game and just be a basketball player. That’s the ultimate true testament to what he is."
That isn’t an accident. Along with his ability to make a play regardless of the situation, Evbuomwan is always one to spend extra time working on the shots he’s likely to get out of the actions the team runs.
Fresh off leading the Tigers to the 2023 Sweet Sixteen, Evbuomwan signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Detroit Pistons. This meant the Pistons could have signed him any day leading up the first game of the 2023-24 season. Evbuomwan would play summer league, averaging 7.0 points on 50.0 percent shooting, 4.0 rebounds and 1.33 assists in 22.9 minutes in three appearances. He would also appear in seven preseason games for Detroit, highlighted by his nine points, two rebounds, two assists and two steals against San Antonio on July 14, before joining the Cruise, the Pistons’ G League affiliate.
As expected, life is different for Evbuomwan these days. He has more free time as a pro, and the G League schedule requires more travel. He’s had to adapt to a different offensive style with the Cruise but has still been able to be himself and show the parts of his game he’s been adding over time.
Due to injuries and roster movement, Evbuomwan has being seeing time at the five recently. As he did at Princeton, he’s shown an ability to blow by the taller, slower defenders then either score or facilitate. Three-point shooting and playing on the perimeter have been areas of emphasis for Evbuomwan, and he’s used these to his advantage against the bigger opponents. He prides himself on being adaptable and able to play multiple positions, the three, four or five, whatever will his help team in any given game.
What hasn’t changed is playing for a team where everyone is bought in to what they need to do. The Cruise move the ball well and are a squad that trusts each other.
The player development under the coaching staff at Princeton has been a key to Evbuomwan’s ability to thrive as a pro. He notes that he worked extensively with Franklin C. Cappon-Edward C. Green '40 Head Coach Mitch Henderson and former assistant coach Skye Ettin during his time as a Tiger.
“There's a big focus on mastering the fundamentals,” said Evbuomwan. “I worked on honing them at Princeton, but there’s other stuff like having poise late in the game and being able to find ways to make winning plays on both ends. That was built over time there."
They (Princeton's coaching staff) played a massive part in my individual skill work and it’s something I continue to prioritize.Tosan Evbuomwan
Evbuomwan's time at Princeton was filled with the team success. Along with leading the Tigers to the 2023 Sweet Sixteen, the Tigers won two Ivy League Regular Season Championships, one Ivy League Tournament title, defeated a pair of ranked opponents, four power five schools and won the 2022 London Basketball Classic. His junior year year, 2021-22, the Tigers also went to the NIT.
Individually, he ended his career at Princeton with a lengthy list of accolades and his name etched in the record book. Named to the 2023 NCAA South Region All-Tournament Team, Evbuomwan was a two-time First Team All-Region honoree, a two-time First Team All-Ivy honoree, the 2023 Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player, the 2022 Ivy League Player of the Year, a two-time Ivy League All-Tournament Team honoree, MVP of the 2022 London Basketball Classic and a 2021 Asheville Championship All-Tournament honoree.
His 161 assists from the 2022-23 season tied the school record for most assists in a season, his 323 career assists rank No. 6 all-time in school history. Evbuomwan’s 1,033 points also ranked No. 34 on the Tigers’ scoring list.
Like all who meet him, McMillan is most impressed with Tosan Evbuomwan the person. He describes Evbuomwan as being on the quieter side, but notes his calm demeanor settles the team and his presence is something the team rallies around.
“He never complains, he never whines about anything,” proclaimed McMillan. “He’s just going to do it; he’s just going to get through it then smile afterwards."
The human being is the best part about Tosan, aside from the player, which is obviously very, very good.Jamelle McMillan
Part of the Tosan Evbuomwan story was told on a global level in March 2023, with outlets such as the BBC, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and the Athletic chronicling his journey from the hoop near his dad’s garden in Newcastle, England, to the bright lights of the NCAA Tournament. He’s now in the NBA orbit and still continuing to develop as a player.
As his next chapter is being written in real time, one can only be excited for what lies ahead.
