I sat next to Kentrell "Duke" Evans in the office of Lee men's basketball head coach Bubba Smith prior to the start of the 2019-2020. He shared the enormous challenges he faced growing up in East Chattanooga. Those challenges, which have crippled so many young people, didn't stick to Evans. He was different and he's pledged his life to making sure others know they can be different too.

Kids are supposed to worry about being prepared for the next exam, acne on their face, and the big game on Friday. They are not supposed to worry about having hot water, what they will eat, or where they will live. For Kentrell Evans his worries were of much greater significance than any 11-year-old boy should face.

Evans grew up with his mom and siblings, packed into a two-bedroom PODS home in East Chattanooga. His mom faced challenges of her own forcing Kentrell and his siblings to bounce between his aunt and mom.

From a young age Kentrell learned some hard life lessons from his family. "Everybody I knew was going to prison. My brother ended up there and he would always try and teach me to make better choices and not go down the same path he went. When I was young, I feared prison and didn't want to end up there."

Being the youngest, Kentrell struck a close bond with his father. But one night the unthinkable happened: his father was shot six times with an AK-47 outside their Hixson home and died three days later.

"I was 11 years old. I went to the hospital and was there by his bed side. I felt lost and didn't fully understand what was happening, but I went back to his words to me 'If anything ever happens to me you just keep praying and doing the best you can'. God never took his hand off my life. During it all I didn't understand a lot, but I just kept persevering."

Lost, it was the game of basketball and the people connected with it that would give Kentrell an assist that he took straight to the basket.

Power of the Game
In high school Evans found mentors in Brainerd Basketball Coach Levar Brown and Hamilton Heights and AAU Coach Zach Ferrell.

"People told me all the time that you don't make it out of Brainerd so you don't want to go there. But Coach Levar promised my grandma that I would graduate with a high GPA and he helped make sure I achieved those goals. I loved my time there," said Evans.

Evans found a home with his grandmother, Anita. With her stern but loving guidance, and the positive influence of Coaches Brown and Ferrell, Evans began to thrive as he discovered his passion for the game, learned discipline and hard work, and had a much needed support system.

"When I was growing up basketball gave people something to cheer about on Friday night and something to be proud of when everything else in their life was falling apart," Evans said. Getting out of the "old neighborhood" seemed like a far-fetched dream. The only escape was basketball.

"I found people through the game that helped me not only become a better player but a better person," said Evans. "They taught me that I could make it out of here and that I needed to take advantage of the gifts the Lord had given me to play the game."

Evans was a standout player for Brainerd High School leading them to the TSSAA State Tournament three straight seasons. He was a three-time all-state player while posting a 3.6 grade point average, fulfilling Coach Brown's promise to his grandmother.

Finding a Family at Lee
Evans would find his home just down the road at Lee University under head coach Ryan "Bubba" Smith and assistant coach Cole Rose in the fall of 2017.

"Lee is a new chapter in my life. If it weren't for Coach Smith and Coach Rose I would be done for, I can't express how much I appreciate all the sacrifices they have made on my behalf to help me achieve my goals. They are family to me and took the time to get to know me and care about me as a person first and not just a basketball player. The things I've learned from them will be used long after I'm done playing college ball," said Evans.

Pay it Back
What's next for the man that refused to be just another statistic?  "I want to give back. I want to go back to my neighborhood with a degree from Lee University and use the game of basketball to reach young boys who are just like me when I was their age. I want to show them there is hope and I'm a living, breathing example of what can happen when you trust God, work hard, and do the right things," Evans told me as he choked back tears.

Evans plays the game of basketball with an unusual calmness and confidence. Maybe that's because he's faced and overcome far greater challenges than any matchup-zone defense or pressure-filled final two minutes of a game could rival.