Reggie Evans
An NBA rebounding savant whose relentless hustle and physicality made him a cult hero and a nightmare matchup for a decade.
Born 1980 (age 46)·American basketball player·Birthday: May 18·Generation X
Biography
Reggie Evans built a thirteen-year NBA career on a simple, brutal premise: he would outwork you for every loose ball. Undrafted out of the University of Iowa, he refused to let that define his ceiling. What he lacked in offensive polish, he compensated for with an almost supernatural knack for rebounding, particularly on the offensive glass, where his second and third efforts fueled countless possessions. A journeyman who played for seven teams, from Seattle to Sacramento, Evans was the ultimate role player—a defensive irritant who took charges, set bone-jarring screens, and whose energy was contagious. Fans adored his blue-collar ethos, while opponents grudgingly respected the nightly battle he presented. His legacy is that of a self-made specialist who carved out a long, impactful career through sheer force of will and a singular, invaluable skill.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Reggie was born in 1980, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Reggie Was Born
The biggest hits of 1980
#1 Movie
The Empire Strikes Back
Best Picture
Ordinary People
#1 TV Show
Dallas
Reggie's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1980Born
John Lennon shot and killed in New York
Gas: $1.19/galHome: $47,200Min wage: $3.10/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Call Me" — BlondieBest Picture: Ordinary People
1985Started school
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1993Became a teenager
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1996Could drive
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1998Could vote
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2001Turned 21
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2010Turned 30
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 40
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 46 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Averaged a career-high 11.1 rebounds per game in the 2012-13 season with the Brooklyn Nets, leading the team.
- Played 13 seasons in the NBA for seven different franchises, a testament to his valued niche as a rebounding specialist.
- Once grabbed 20 rebounds in a single quarter while playing for the Toronto Raptors in 2010.
Did You Know?
He led the NBA in rebounds per 48 minutes in both the 2004-05 and 2011-12 seasons.
He was involved in a famous on-court incident where he grabbed the groin of Los Angeles Clippers player Michael Olowokandi in 2002.
After his NBA career, he played in the BIG3 basketball league, winning the championship in 2018.
“My job was to get the ball, by any means necessary.”
