Evan Mobley isn’t just one of the most impactful defensive rookies in the NBA. The Cleveland Cavaliers big is already one of the league’s best defenders, period.
Mobley, whose Cavs defeated the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks on Jan. 26, has had little trouble adjusting to the pros. He had a massive dunk on Giannis Antetokounmpo in the process, too. It was yet another feather in the cap for the rookie, who has played an integral role in leading Cleveland to the best defense in the Eastern Conference thus far.
Although the big man was selected at No. 3 overall in the 2021 NBA draft, he is currently the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year. His blend of size and skill is one of the most unique pairings in the game right now; you can easily get mesmerized when you watch him play:
Here are 60 seconds of Evan Mobley being an alien pic.twitter.com/aKrSdXswIv
— Tony Pesta (@Tony_Pesta) January 8, 2022
Dominance is nothing new for Mobley, whose Cavs are currently just a game and a half behind first place in the East. While at USC, the big was the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year and the Defensive Player of the Year.
Before that, while in high school, he was named a McDonald’s All-American and Morgan Wootten National Player of the Year. Mobley, however, was not able to play in the McDonald’s All-American Game because it was canceled due to COVID-19.
Now that the 2022 McDonald’s All-American Game rosters were announced, Mobley caught up with For The Win to reflect on what he missed out on by not playing in the game. He also talked about his older brother (USC’s Isaiah Mobley), the success of the Cavs, and more.
This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.