Evan Battey Explained

Evan Battey
Position:Assistant coach/quality control analyst
Conference:Big 12
Team:Colorado Buffaloes
Height Ft:6
Height In:8
Weight Lbs:259
Birth Date:27 September 1998
Birth Place:Los Angeles, California, U.S.
High School:
College:Colorado (2018–2022)
Draft Year:2022
Career Start:2022
Career End:2024
Career Number:21
Years1:2022–2023
Team1:Rilski Sportist
Years2:2023–2024
Team2:Lugano Tigers
Cyears1:2024–present
Cteam1:Colorado (assistant)
Highlights:

Evan Earl Battey (born September 27, 1998) is an American former professional basketball player and current assistant basketball coach at the University of Colorado. He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes. He was named second-team All-Pac-12 as a senior in 2022.

High school career

Battey started playing high school basketball at the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies in Los Angeles. He averaged 11 points and 11 rebounds per game as a freshman. As a sophomore, Battey averaged 20 points and 14 rebounds per game, leading his team to its second straight CIF Los Angeles City Section Division IV title. For his junior season, he transferred to Villa Park High School in Villa Park, California. In his fifth game of the season, Battey scored 44 points, two shy of the school record.[1] As a junior, he averaged 24 points and 12 rebounds per game.[2] Battey was ruled ineligible for his senior season, as he had repeated ninth grade and exhausted all eight semesters of athletic eligibility.[3] While sidelined, he served as a coach for Villa Park's big men and junior varsity team.[4] He committed to playing college basketball for Colorado over offers from Arizona State, Miami (Florida) and Purdue, among others.[5]

College career

Battey sat out for the 2017–18 season as an academic redshirt, because he did not graduate from high school in four years.[6] In December 2017, he suffered a stroke while playing basketball with his friends, and had two seizures later in the day.[7] Battey rehabilitated for five months, including physical therapy and speech therapy.[8] As a freshman at Colorado, he averaged 8.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.[9] In his sophomore season, Battey became a regular starter and averaged 8.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.[10] As a junior, he averaged 10.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, and was named to the All-Pac-12 honorable mention.[11] As a senior, Battey averaged 12.4 points and 4.7 rebounds per game and was named second-team All-Pac-12.[12]

Professional career

Battey was undrafted in the 2022 NBA Draft. On August 11, 2022, Battey announced he would be playing for BC Rilski Sportist of the National Basketball League in Bulgaria.[13] [14] The following season, Battey joined the Lugano Tigers of the Swiss Basketball League in Switzerland.[15] During his time with the Tigers, he averaged 19.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.[16]

Coaching career

On July 8, 2024, Battey announced he would be returning to the University of Colorado to become an assistant coach and quality control analyst.[17]

Career statistics

College

|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2017–18| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado| style="text-align:center;" colspan="11"| Redshirt|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2018–19| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado| 36 || 11 || 21.3 || .484 || .188 || .705 || 4.4 || 1.2 || .5 || .3 || 8.1|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2019–20| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado| 32 || 32 || 24.8 || .526 || .353 || .694 || 5.9 || 1.0 || .5 || .3 || 8.9|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado| 32 || 32 || 25.7 || .498 || .118 || .825 || 5.3 || 1.0 || .4 || .3 || 10.1|-| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22| style="text-align:left;"| Colorado| 33 || 33 || 28.5 || .502 || .488 || .759 || 4.7 || 1.2 || .6 || .5 || 12.4|- class="sortbottom"| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career| 133 || 108 || 25.0 || .502 || .390 || .748 || 5.0 || 1.1 || .5 || .4 || 9.8

Personal life

Battey's father, Earl III, played college baseball at UCLA and is a longtime Los Angeles Police Department officer. His grandfather, Earl Jr., was a five-time Major League Baseball All-Star and a three-time Gold Glove winner. Battey's uncle, Ed Sanders, was a boxer and won the gold medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics.[18]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Whitehead . Brian . New kid on the block: Villa Park High center Evan Battey seemed to fall from the basketball heavens. Is he too good to be true? . . October 15, 2021 . January 6, 2016.
  2. Web site: Moseman . Johnny . Unique big man Evan Battey commits to Colorado . The Left Bench . October 15, 2021 . September 28, 2016.
  3. Web site: Fryer . Steve . Basketball: Villa Park’s Battey ruled ineligible . . October 15, 2021 . June 29, 2016.
  4. Web site: Graham . Pat . Battey returns to court for Colorado after suffering stroke . . October 15, 2021 . November 6, 2018.
  5. Web site: Metivier . Sam . Top basketball recruit Evan Battey commits to the Buffaloes . The Ralphie Report . October 15, 2021 . September 27, 2016.
  6. Web site: Andre . Troy . Freshman Forward Evan Battey To Redshirt 2017-18 Season . University of Colorado Athletics . October 15, 2021 . October 26, 2017.
  7. Web site: Godwin . Cealey . My life after a stroke: The Evan Battey story . . October 15, 2021 . January 4, 2019.
  8. Web site: Newman . Kyle . Evan Battey perseveres past stroke, eligibility issues to emerge as pivotal freshman for CU Buffs basketball . . October 15, 2021 . December 8, 2018.
  9. Web site: Andrews . Kendra . Two years after a stroke, Evan Battey is playing an integral role with the Buffs . . October 15, 2021 . January 9, 2020.
  10. Web site: Rooney . Pat . CU basketball player review: Evan Battey . BuffZone . October 15, 2021 . March 28, 2020.
  11. Web site: Andre . Troy . Buffs Hand Out Team Awards At Season Celebration . University of Colorado Athletics . October 15, 2021 . April 29, 2021.
  12. 2021-22 Pac-12 Men's Basketball All-Conference honors and Annual Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva. . March 8, 2022 . March 8, 2022.
  13. News: Wadleigh . Matt . Evan Battey announces pro ball team . Colorado Buffaloes Wire . . August 11, 2022.
  14. Web site: Център от Колорадо е следващото ново име в ротацията на Рилски . August 11, 2022 . rilskibasket.com . БК "Рилски Спортист".
  15. News: Buila . Maddalena . Ecco il nuovo volto dei Tigers: «Puntiamo tanto sui giovani» . . September 15, 2023.
  16. News: Rooney . Pat . Evan Battey excited to begin new journey as assistant coach with CU Buffs . BuffZone . . July 12, 2024.
  17. Web site: Andre . Troy . Evan Battey Returns To CU As An Assistant Coach . July 8, 2024 . University of Colorado Athletics.
  18. Web site: Rooney . Pat . Recovery from stroke a unique, demanding challenge for CU Buffs’ Evan Battey . BuffZone . October 15, 2021 . June 23, 2018.