Isaiah Evans did not hear his name called in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, but he still delivered one of the loudest statements of the night. The former Duke shooting guard arrived at Barclays Center in Brooklyn wearing what may be the most expensive jewelry fit in NBA Draft history.
According to the New York Post, Evans wore a $3 million diamond brooch and a $1 million diamond wallet chain designed by Jason of Beverly Hills.
That is $4 million worth of diamonds on draft night.
Isaiah Evans wore a $3M brooch and a $1M wallet chain for draft night 😳
(via @nypostsports) pic.twitter.com/V3IADcnZuk
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 24, 2026
Evans wore a navy blue double-breasted suit with red pinstripes, giving the outfit a polished, high-fashion look. But the jewelry was clearly the centerpiece. His brooch featured a 45-carat pigeon blood ruby in the middle, chosen to match the red pinstripes in his suit. Around the ruby were another six carats of baroque-shaped white diamonds.
The wallet chain alone was valued at $1 million, making it another historic piece. According to Jason, the goal was to bring a different energy to draft night.
Instead of the usual oversized medallions, initials, and diamond earrings, Evans wanted something more elegant and dramatic. Jason described the vision as bringing a Met Gala feel to the NBA Draft, with a royal and timeless look.
Evans said he wanted to make an impact. He did exactly that. The only twist was that the night did not go as many expected.
Evans was invited to the green room, a sign that he was viewed as a strong first-round candidate. Instead, he sat through the entire first round without being selected. That made the contrast even more viral. A player wearing $4 million in jewelry had to wait until the second round to hear his name called.
Eventually, his wait ended when the Minnesota Timberwolves selected him with the No. 33 overall pick.
The financial comparison only makes the story more remarkable. As the No. 1 overall pick, AJ Dybantsa is projected to sign a four-year rookie contract worth approximately $69 million with the Washington Wizards. Darryn Peterson, selected second by the Utah Jazz, is expected to earn around $61.8 million over four years, while third pick Cameron Boozer’s rookie deal with the Memphis Grizzlies is projected to be worth roughly $55.5 million.
Evans, meanwhile, does not receive the protection of the NBA’s rookie scale because he was a second-round selection. His contract will be negotiated separately and is expected to fall in the $1.5 million to $2.1 million range for his first season. In other words, the $4 million worth of jewelry he wore on draft night was worth nearly twice as much as his projected rookie salary.
Still, Evans has real basketball value. The 6-foot-6 guard spent two seasons at Duke and averaged 15.0 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists during his sophomore year. He shot 36.1% from three last season and was viewed as one of the better shooting prospects in the draft. His frame still needs strength, but his touch and movement shooting give him a clear NBA pathway.
For the Timberwolves, he adds another floor-spacing wing to a team trying to build around Anthony Edwards. For Evans, draft night brought disappointment, attention, and eventually opportunity.
He may not have gone in the first round, but nobody dressed like him. With a $3 million brooch, a $1 million wallet chain, and a second-round landing spot in Minnesota, Isaiah Evans gave the 2026 NBA Draft one of its strangest and most unforgettable stories.
