NEW ORLEANS — Jacob Evans has spent his first professional season yo-yoing between the back-to-back NBA champions and their G League affiliate.

Within the past five months, Evans made Highway 17’s winding trek across the Santa Cruz Mountains nine times to play for the Santa Cruz Warriors. This was his only path to meaningful playing time. Thanks to a hand injury he sustained in college that forced him to overhaul his jump shot, Evans had been relegated to the bottom of Golden State’s depth chart.

In the Warriors’ 112-103 win over the Pelicans at Smoothie King Center on Tuesday, Evans showed the strides he made at a lower level, posting a career-high 11 points, five rebounds, two assists, two blocks and three steals in a career-high 37 minutes. It was a feel-good night in what has become a trying rookie season. With Kevin Durant (flu), Andre Iguodala (left toe soreness) and Klay Thompson (right knee soreness) out, Evans could finally play without fear of being pulled.

“It was really great to see Jacob play tonight,” head coach Steve Kerr said of Evans, who is from nearby Baton Rouge. “He’s put a lot of work in the G League. He had a lot of family members here tonight, so it felt good to give him the start. I thought he really took advantage of it and played a nice game.”

Nights like Tuesday were supposed to be Evans’ norm. In June, after watching him steadily progress in three years at Cincinnati, Warriors general manager Bob Myers took Evans with the No. 28 pick in hopes that he would immediately contribute. Unlike many players selected that late in the draft, Evans already boasted a discernible NBA skill — defensive versatility.

But during summer league, Golden State assistant coach Willie Green noticed a hitch in Evans’ shooting motion and learned that Evans was compensating because of the lingering scar tissue from an old hand injury. By the time Evans retooled his mechanics, the Warriors had solidified their rotation, with Quinn Cook — a point guard by reputation — beating Evans out for the backup shooting-guard spot.

Entering Tuesday, Evans had totaled just 148 minutes in 28 NBA games. His numbers in 21 appearances with Santa Cruz — 11.2 points on 43.7 percent shooting, 3.4 rebounds and 2.5 assists — were underwhelming. Although most of his G League teammates made $35,000 for Santa Cruz’s five-month season, Evans was guaranteed $1.6 million from Golden State.

Roughly 30 minutes before tip-off Tuesday, a team staffer informed Evans that he would make his first NBA start. Then, in front of family and friends who made the 75-minute drive from Baton Rouge, Evans showcased the defensive length, versatility and instincts that had compelled Golden State to use its first-round pick on him.

As for his jump shot? That wasn’t too shabby, either.

“I just keep my head up and just keep working on my game,” Evans said. “Just try to make sure I’m engaged at all times, so I can try to be ready when my number is called.”

Connor Letourneau is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: cletourneau@sfchronicle.com. Twitter: @Con_Chron