Cavs’ Mobley holds off Raps’ Barnes for top spot in last Rookie Ladder

This was a great rookie class overall

We don’t yet know what rookie will actually win the NBA’s Rookie of the Year Award, and we will have to wait and see which rookies make the NBA’s first and second team. However, from top to bottom this draft class was great.

Guys like Ayo Dosunmu and Herbert Jones, who were second-round picks, ended up making a huge impact on the teams they played for. On the other end of the spectrum, it’s very possible that four of the top five picks from the 2021 NBA Draft class will be on the All-Rookie First Team this season. The last time that happened was the 2018-2019 draft class that had Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Deandre Ayton, and Jaren Jackson Jr.

What has striking, though, was that even amongst all these great players, Evan Mobley still managed to stand taller than the rest.

After drafting Mobley with the third overall pick, the Cavs coaching staff and front office had to make a decision. They could go the normal route and play Mobley at the four while Jarrett Allen played center, but when the front office acquired Lauri Markkanen from Chicago, they had to come up with a gameplan on how to play with three big men, even when the rest of the basketball world is turning to small-ball often.

When they came up with the plan, and went to put it to use, everything sort of hinged on Evan Mobley’s ability to defend multiple positions, and hold his own against stronger NBA bigs. Throughout the season Mobley adapted very well, and at this point, he’s often referred to as a one-man zone. All year he cut off passing lanes, closed out hard, blocked shots, and forced turnovers. He did it all for the Cavaliers on the defensive end this season.

His offensive game also improved throughout the season, too. As the games continued to pile up, Mobley looked more and more comfortable in the low and high post. His shooting will determine how high his ceiling is. I will say, though, I think he just completed the first season of an NBA Hall-of-Fame career.

What a year it was. The Cavaliers will be taking on the Atlanta Hawks after their W over the Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday night in the East #9-10 play-in game on Friday night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. That’s in order to determine the #8 seed in the East.

It’s uncertain currently as to whether Jarrett Allen will play or not. However, the Cavs need to come out ready to play on Friday, or risk being out of the playoffs after a second half collapse, albeit during which many players got hurt.

But Mobley has proved his worth this year, regardless. I’m not the only one who thinks he has a Hall-of-Fame career ahead of him; he was more on that from Cavs assistant coach Greg Buckner, via Rob Mahoney of The Ringer.

"“If he continues to progress and stays healthy, I truly believe he has Hall-of-Fame talent,” Buckner says. “And he has a Hall-of-Fame brain. A basketball mind.”‘"

Buckner continued on from there about Mobley, again, via Mahoney.

"“This is something different,” Buckner says. “Most rookies, you try to keep it real simple and basic with ’em. But with him, he’s just on another level.'”"

Obviously Mobley needs to put on some bulk and stay healthy, but there’s more than enough reason to believe he will be a Hall-of-Famer one day. I’ve harped on Mobley, because he is a Cavalier, and because we really haven’t seen a player like him come into the league since, Tim Duncan or Kevin Garnett. On top of that, he has the chance to be better than both.

As for the rest of the rookie class, it’s safe to say the league is in good hands. Cade Cunningham should make a huge jump next year, as long as he stays healthy. Jalen Green and Josh Giddey can improve upon their good half-seasons, or so.

Overall it was a great year for basketball, as it always is, and the postseason is on the horizon.