NBA reinstates Tyreke Evans after two-year ban

• Tyreke Evans was banned by the NBA in 2019 for violating NBA anti-drug program
• Evans played as a shooting guard for Indiana Pacers prior to his banning although NBA did not make it public what banned substance he ingested
• Now at 32, Evans is available to negotiate with NBA teams as soon as Friday at noon, the NBA has announced

After a two-year ban for violating the NBA/National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) anti-drug program, Tyreke Evans who plays as a shooting guard has been reinstated to play in the league.

The former Indiana Pacers man is eligible to begin negotiating with teams immediately and can sign a contract as soon as Friday at noon ET, the league announced on Monday evening.

Evans is the first player to be suspended and reinstated since Chris “Birdman” Andersen’s reinstatement in 2008. The NBA/NBPA drug policy calls for a player’s dismissal for two years if he tests positive for what’s considered a “drug of abuse.”

Tyreke Evans was banned in 2019, at the time he was an Indiana Pacers guard. | PHOTO: Marca |

Due to NBA protocols, however, the NBA did not make it public what substance he ingested but he has now been tested and allowed to play in the NBA once again.

Evans was the 2010 NBA Rookie of the Year with the Sacramento Kings – whom he played for between 2009 to 2013, and he had stopped with the New Orleans Pelicans (2013 to 2017), the Kings again (2017), the Memphis Grizzlies (2017-18) and the Indiana Pacers (2018-19) when he was handed the NBA ban.

Tyreke Evans in a past NBA match playing for Indiana Pacers. | PHOTO: NBA. com |

Evans now at 32, was the fourth overall pick out of Memphis in the 2009 NBA draft, by the Sacramento Kings, and in his debut campaign was voted Rookie of the Year (2009-20010) in a generation that included the likes of current superstars Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors and James Harden of the Philadelphia 76ers.

It was last May 17, 2019, when the NBA decided to punish Evans, at that time he was playing for the Indiana Pacers and it was announced that he could apply to be reinstated in a two-year period, that request was favourably met now.

“The Indiana Pacers were informed Friday (May 17, 2019) by the NBA that Tyreke Evans has been dismissed from the league for a violation of the league’s anti-drug policy,” the Pacers said. “We take these matters seriously and will reach out to Tyreke to offer our support.”

In his career, Evans has played for the aforementioned Kings (2009 to 2013), New Orleans Pelicans (2013 to 2017), Memphis Grizzlies (2017 to 2018) and Indiana Pacers (2018 to 2019).

During his career, Evans averaged 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds and 4.8 assists in a total of 594 games played, he is currently 32 years old and he looks forward to adding better stats to his career.