Evan Mobley has quickly become the favorite to win Rookie of the Year, averaging 14.8 points per game, 8.2 rebounds per game, and 2.5 assists per game while defending at an elite level, potentially earning a spot among the All-Defensive team. The Cleveland Cavaliers‘ No. 3 overall pick from this past NBA Draft has been a revelation on that end.
Mobley is even showing some flashes of being able to stretch out the floor and hit three-point shots, currently shooting at just over 30% from beyond the arc. Plus, he is an above average foul shooter at 76.7%, which is a large ask for many players his size.
Along with potential All-Star Jarrett Allen and a solid bench unit, Mobley has helped create one of the strongest frontcourt rotations in the NBA. This has been a large part of the Cavs’ surprising 21-17 start.
How does Mobley rank among other forwards and centers in this rookie class?
Mobley is far and away the best frontcourt player in this rookie class so far, beating out other names like Golden State Warriors wing Jonathan Kuminga and Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner.
Defensively he is also far ahead of his draft class in general, ranking first in total blocks with 16 rejections between him and second place and eighth in total steals. This is despite him only appearing in 30 games, which is less than anybody with more steals than him except Cade Cunningham, who has played in 28 games for the Detroit Pistons.
There really are no players in the draft class that have consistently played at the same level as Evan Mobley so far.
Where does Mobley land among other star frontcourt players under the age of 25 across the NBA?
As of right now, Mobley is not at an All-Star level but there are numerous young big men who are, including Zion Williamson, Deandre Ayton, Bam Adebayo, and teammate Jarrett Allen. They are all at a level above Mobley for the time being.
There are other young studs that play at frontcourt positions though, some of which have come close to an All-Star appearance before. These would include names like Jaren Jackson Jr., John Collins, and Miles Bridges.
Mobley likely lands somewhere in that second tier of players, where they are not quite All-Stars, but they are close to being able to contend for a spot.
His defense is some of the best among all of the players listed due to his ability to guard one through five at a high level while putting up good defensive stats, gathering nearly two blocks and a steal.
Next season Mobley could join the ranks of Zion, Ayton and Adebayo. In fact, it’s rather likely that he takes a step forward offensively, as most rookies do, and he’s shown improvement in recent weeks offensively on-ball as well. Evan Mobley could be the face of the next generation of frontcourt players in the NBA as soon as the end of this season.