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Cavs draft: 2021 prospect Evan Mobley looks to be the ideal modern big

By Dylan Conatser

USC Trojans big Evan Mobley takes the ball down the floor. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
USC Trojans big Evan Mobley takes the ball down the floor. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
USC Trojans big Evan Mobley dunks the ball. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

Projecting Mobley’s instant impact for the Cavs

Mobley has the size at 7-feet tall, adding a 7-foot-4 wingspan, and he is built to be a great shot blocker on the defensive end and that’s exactly what he did for the USC Trojans this season, who made an Elite Eight run. Mobley averaged an astounding 3.0 blocks per game while also adding 0.8 steals per contest.

Impressively, while being that active on defense, he still had less than 2.0 fouls per game. Foul trouble in the NBA is becoming more common in today’s play style so to get a player that can defend the paint the way he does while not getting in foul trouble would be vital to any team.

Albeit Mobley is not just a rim protector, as he is arguably just as dominant on the offensive side of the ball. He averaged 16.3 points, 8.8 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game while shooting 58.2 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from deep.

He put up great numbers while also leading his team deep into the NCAA tournament. He has the ability to stretch the floor for this Cavs team who ranks dead-last in three point shooting, but the perimeter shooting does need to continue to progress for him. The touch he has in other areas, though, and the shooting stroke is there to, at the NBA level, definitely develop into a floor spacing presence.

At USC, that wasn’t seemingly a key focus with him, however. But the stretch big potential and capabilities, really, can’t be overlooked.

Anyhow, with both ends in mind, Mobley is the type of prospect that very well could step foot on the floor for the Cleveland Cavaliers and make them a much better team. While Allen already has the starting center job locked up, assuming he is signed long-term this offseason, which seems to be a near-certainty, Mobley could back him up initially or even play alongside him at the power forward position at the next level, though.

Mobley played the 4 a good amount at USC, for what it’s worth, and could mesh with Allen well pretty early on, even.

That said, in today’s league, Mobley is 100 percent built to be a center and there is no denying that, as he has the height, length, IQ, and every ability to be a dominant big in the league. Granted, Mobley does need to put on weight in due time for that, seemingly, but that should come in the near future.

In any case, power forward is more of a need for Cleveland than center is, at least considering Kevin Love having such tough injury struggles, and with Larry Nance Jr. not nearly having the ceiling of Mobley offensively. So one would assume Mobley could often be in that role. He moves well for his size at 7-feet tall, as he has very quick feet and he has shown that he can hold his own when he gets matched up on the perimeter.

His offensive game revolves around his work in the post and his ability to grab offensive rebounds and put them back up, although, his jump shot has evolved throughout his freshman season and it’s only going to keep getting better.

And he has the length to get his shot over anyone so that is another piece to his game that makes him the ideal big at the next level. He also has great footwork for his size and that bodes well with the great set of post moves that he possesses.