Evan Mobley has garnered much praise with the Cleveland Cavaliers since entering the NBA in 2021.
Drafted fourth overall, Mobley finished his rookie season head-to-head with Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes for Rookie of the Year. Barnes won by a historically close margin, leaving Cavs fans disappointed. His early rivalry with Barnes quickly set up a competition for the greatest talent in that draft class. As the Cavaliers unicorn continues to grow into a two-way phenom, his ranking among his peers elevates.
In reality, it is not an either/or situation between Mobley and Barnes. Both players are star-level talents, but the 2021 draft class offers much more than just two star players. Drafted first that year was Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham, followed by Jalen Green's selection by the Houston Rockets. The Rockets later selected Alperen Sengun at 16th overall, a sneakily great selection in the middle of the first round.
That shortlist of stars is only the beginning of what the draft offered. From lottery picks to hidden gems, 2021 brought numerous game-changing players to the league. In a recent redraft by Bleacher Report writer Dan Favale, the Cavaliers' Mobley jumps from fourth to first, dubbing him the greatest talent of the class thus far.
Evan Mobley earns the praise, but his competition is fierce
Mobley barely emerges ahead of Cunningham in Favale's redraft, as the Pistons point guard goes second. Favale praises Mobley for entering an elite club of players who can be classified as the most important player on his team on both ends of the court. Despite Donovan Mitchell's scoring prowess, Mobley's two-way excellence has made him the most important overall Cleveland player to many onlookers.
Favale does not hesitate to note that Mobley is still unfinished growing on offense. While the young star's three-point shot has been a favorable development, his on-ball attacks towards the rim and ball security are still behind his peers. Winning Defensive Player of the Year and becoming an elite passer for his position are two qualities that put Mobley ahead of Cunningham and the rest of the 2021 rookies.
In short, Favale's analysis is probably right, but it may not hold up forever. Cunningham is one of the league's best point guards and offensive generals. His frame as an oversized guard and control over the pace of every possession makes him an ideal leader for Detroit in the modern NBA. His court vision is among the best in the league, and his scoring is coming along well. Cunningham is not an elite shooter yet, but he is not far from being well above average.
Barnes, Sengun, Green, Franz Wagner and even Los Angeles Lakers undrafted rookie Austin Reaves are building tremendous NBA careers alongside Mobley. Barnes is arguably the most well-rounded scorer of the class, especially among the top picks. Sengun shocked the league, earning comparisons to Nikola Jokic for his passing craft.
Reaves may be the biggest surprise of the 2021 draft, signing to the Lakers after not hearing his name called in either round. He has opened his fifth season with a flurry of scoring outbursts, including a 51-point game against the Sacramento Kings.
As it stands, Mobley has undeniably accomplished the most of his draft class. Alongside his DPOY trophy, he has been on All-Defense teams and joined his teammate Mitchell on the All-NBA roster this past season. Early returns on Mobley are well ahead of what many would have expected after he left USC to enter the draft, but he is surrounded by one of the most talented classes in recent league history.
If Evan Mobley hopes to keep his standing as the greatest player of his draft class, he will have to take his game to another level and lead the Cleveland Cavaliers to heights yet to be seen in this current era.