Utah Jazz: Jeremy Evans agrees to new deal

SALT LAKE CITY — Jeremy Evans, the NBA's 2012 Slam Dunk champion who has spent the past two seasons seeing limited playing time for the Utah Jazz, has agreed to a new three-year, $5.5 million deal with the ballclub.

The 6-foot-9, 194-pound stringbean forward was selected by the Jazz in the second round of the 2010 NBA Draft (55th overall selection) out of Western Kentucky. He cannot officially sign his new contract with the Jazz until July 11 and is not on the team's roster for the Orlando Summer League, which gets under way next week.

Known for his crowd-pleasing, alley-oop dunks, Evans has appeared in 78 games during his NBA career and has averaged 3.1 points and 1.9 rebounds per game over his first two NBA seasons. And, thanks primarily to those high-percentage dunk shots, his career field goal shooting accuracy is a lofty 65.6 percent.

However, Evans' averages dipped to 2.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game last season, when he played an average of just 7.5 minutes per night. He also averaged almost one blocked shot a game last season.

Evans entered the 2012 offseason as a restricted free agent and was extended a qualifying offer from the Jazz last Friday.

A native of Crossett, Ark., Evans is the only player in Jazz franchise history to win the NBA's Slam Dunk contest.

email: rhollis@desnews.com