Evan Mobley enters the NBA draft touted as one of the most skilled players, and the former USC center believes he can eventually tap into his potential and become one of the best players the game has ever seen.
Mobley was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year after averaging 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.9 blocks and 2.4 assists in 33 games. He helped lead the Trojans to the Elite Eight after finishing with the second-most wins (25) in program history.
The 7-footer proved dominant in the paint and has the potential to be an elite defender at the next level. While he can work in the paint, many believe he is among the most versatile prospects in the draft given his overall skill set on both ends of the floor.
“I feel like as a modern-day NBA big, you have to be able to shoot, guard multiple positions, stretch the floor and put the ball on the floor a little bit,” Mobley said on Friday. “All of those skillsets, I feel like I’ve been refining and getting a lot better at. A lot of those skills, I felt like I was already pretty good at.”
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Mobley is widely considered to be selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers next week with the third overall pick. His agility and length on defense make him arguably one of the best frontcourt defenders as he can guard nearly every position on the floor.
While the Cavaliers have been linked most to him, Mobley doesn’t have a preference where he’ll end up. He just wants to land with an organization that will allow him to play right away and prioritize his development early in his career.
Regardless of where he ends up, Mobley has his sights set on becoming one of the best players in the NBA, and that is one aspect of his character that makes him such a highly-touted prospect.
“I think I’ll be a generational player that no one has really seen before,” Mobley said. “That’s what I’m aspiring to be, and I’m just going to keep working and staying in the gym until I get there.”
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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