Cavs: Could Evan Mobley become Tim Duncan-esque?

It was 24 years ago today that NBA legend Tim Duncan made his debut for the San Antonio Spurs. Duncan, picked first overall in the 1997 NBA Draft, was a five-time NBA champion out of Wake Forest, three-time NBA Finals MVP and two-time league MVP. They called him “The Big Fundamental” for a reason.

Fast forward to present day and the Cleveland Cavaliers have a big by the name of Evan Mobley that is filled with potential just as Duncan was all those years ago. So much so that even the great LeBron James took note, stating that he’s going to be a “damn good” player.

He’s off to a good start for the Cavs, but could Mobley become Duncan-esque?

Certainly, Duncan and Mobley differ in playing style by some degree. Duncan was tremendously better in the post from the very beginning. However, Mobley is able to switch out on the defensive side of the ball because he garners that elusive ability to move on out on the floor and does a great job of utilizing his length on and off-ball.

It’s crazy to think about how much Tim Duncan has accomplished in this league. Of course, Cavs fans remember those NBA Finals where Duncan and the Spurs completely demolished the aforementioned LeBron James and company back in 2007. A sweep, of course.

What Cavaliers fans are hoping for moving forward is that Mobley continues to improve and ends up becoming a star just as Duncan had been for all of those years. It’ll take a lot of hard work and progression because it’s obviously not just in a single year that an NBA Star is formed. It takes lots of time to become great.

Mobley is currently averaging 13.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.4 assists a game, to go with 1.4 blocks. He is able to mesh with the rest of the team and fit right in to what the Wine and Gold are trying to accomplish out on the floor.

Certainly, that’s a small sample size, but it’s a good start in this young season. Let’s see if Mobley is able to sustain and even improve those numbers as the games continue on this year. After all, Tim Duncan did not become a star overnight after getting drafted all of those years ago.

With the right additions whether it be via the draft or trades in the future, the Cavaliers can take Mobley’s talents and become even better in the coming years. Who knows, maybe down the road we’ll be looking back at the career of Mobley and his resume that’s filled with titles and accomplishments in the same way we are with Duncan today.

A few championships for Cleveland would be a very profound addition to the resume that is just getting started for the rookie big.