Kevin Pelton, SUPERSONICS.COM
After starting 87 games during his first two seasons with the Sonics and closing the 2003-04 campaign in that role,
Reggie Evans faced a difficult battle to remain a starter during 2004 training camp. In addition to
Vladimir Radmanovic, who started ahead of Evans for the first half of 2003-04, the Sonics added two new competitors at power forward,
Nick Collison and
Danny Fortson.
As it turned out, the power forward battle was over before it even started. Evans had an outstanding training camp and averaged 7.8 points and 9.3 rebounds in four preseason games and was the starter on Opening Night. He would not relinquish the job all season, starting all 79 games he played during his best NBA season thus far.
Evans has made his living at the NBA level with rebounding, but he took that part of his game to a new dimension in 2004-05, averaging a career-high 9.3 rebounds - the best mark by a Sonics player since Shawn Kemp - despite playing less than 24 minutes per game. Evans led the NBA in rebounds per 48 minutes (18.8). Evans' 
rebound percentage - the estimated percentage of all rebounds when he was in the game that he came down with - was even better. At 23.9%, Evans not only easily led the league, he posted the best mark since 1970-71 by a player not named Dennis Rodman.
In addition to his rebounding, Evans made himself more of a threat at the offensive end of the court, averaging a career-high 4.9 points per game. After seeing his shooting percentage fall all the way to 40.6% in 2003-04, he boosted it to 47.6%, the best mark of his career thus far. Evans ranked amongst NBA leaders in free-throw attempts per field-goal attempt, going to the free-throw line 234 times.
Defensively, Evans continued to make himself a general nuisance to opposing players.
"The way Reggie Evans was playing, that’s not physical," said Brad Miller of the Kings. "It’s just grabbing and holding and pushing and shoving and hoping that they don’t call it."
"If you know Reggie, you know he’s going to do anything to get that ball," said a friendly adversary, Charlotte forward Melvin Ely. "He’ll kick, bite, push or whatever. He’s a dear friend of mine, so I was hitting him and pushing him. He was hitting and pushing back. I don’t think there is anybody that loves to go out there against Reggie. He’s one of those guys that doesn’t take a break. He’s going to go at you hard the whole time."
Evans recorded a team-high seven double-doubles, scoring double-figures 11 times and pulling down at least 10 rebounds in 39 games. His best stretch of the season came from Feb. 1 through Feb. 13, when he hit double-figures in rebounding six straight games. Included were a career-high 21 rebounds on Feb. 5 vs. Charlotte, making Evans the first Sonics player since Kemp in December 1995 to top 20 boards in a game.
The only interruption to Evans' season was when he came down with a serious case of gastroenteritis just after the New Year while the Sonics were traveling to the East Coast. He missed three games because of the stomach ailment, but started every other game.
During the postseason, Evans' role was limited by the strong performance of 
Jerome James at center, the development of Collison into a player the Sonics needed to have on the court down the stretch, and other teams not respecting Evans' offense. His rebounding was unchanged on a per-minute basis during the playoffs, but Evans shot only 40.5% from the field.
Evans becomes a restricted free agent for the second time in his career, and his free agency will present the Sonics with something of a dilemma. Evans demonstrated last season how valuable he can be as a role player, but Collison has also proven worthy of a larger role and the Sonics have other options at power forward.
2004-05 Highlights:
Started all 79 games he played.
Led the NBA in rebounds per 48 minutes (18.8) and rebound percentage (23.9%).
Recorded seven double-doubles and grabbed double-figures rebounds 39 times.
Grabbed career-high 21 rebounds vs. Charlotte on Feb. 5.
SUPERSONICS.COM Player of the Week:
Dec. 6-12 (with Danny Fortson)
Jan. 31-Feb. 6
Apr. 11-17
