ESPN analyst and former 15-year veteran JJ Redick on Wednesday said Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley has the potential to become a future NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Mobley entered the NBA this season highly touted given his ability on both ends of the floor. He established himself as an elite defender in college at USC and that ability has translated over to the NBA given his athleticism and skill to guard every position on the floor.
The third pick is averaging 14 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists, two blocked shots and one steal. He leads the rookie class in blocks and ranks seventh among all players. He recently became just the fifth player in history with at least 50 assists and 30 blocks over his first 20 games.
Redick, speaking on “SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt,” praised Mobley.
Evan Mobley is unbelievable defensively. I don’t think people realize or are talking about (it). This guy is a future Defensive Player of the Year. Earlier today, I watched 20 minutes of YouTube highlights of Evan Mobley’s defense. He does everything on the defensive end, including switching onto smaller guards.
Mobley, who was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month, certainly has the chance to reach some rare air throughout his career given his unique ability as a player who can defend at a high level, dominate inside of the paint and get others involved.
He is off to a tremendous start this season and a huge reason why the Cavaliers are currently in the playoff picture. Cleveland is night and day better with Mobley on the court and that should only get better as the season progresses.
This post originally appeared on Rookie Wire! Follow us on Facebook!
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