3 quotes from Cavaliers media day that prove Evan Mobley is ready to be a star
By Alex Sabri
Embracing a Higher Usage Percentage
How involved will Mobley be on the offensive end of the floor?
Mobley ended last year's regular season with a usage percentage, or "the percentage of team plays used by a player when they are on the floor," of an even 20%, according to NBA.com. The figure put him just below a Cavaliers teammate in guard Craig Porter Jr. and just above Utah Jazz forward John Collins. Mobley's percentage saw a slight bump in the playoffs, placing just behind Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez with a figure of 20.2%.
Atkinson, the former head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, shared his plan for the former All-Rookie forward on Friday, saying his progression on offense starts with his usage.
"I think when you look at the top bigs in the league, a lot of good offensive teams play through their bigs now, especially with the five-out. You guys saw it; everybody saw it in the Boston series where he had the ball in his hands a little bit more."
- Kenny Atkinson
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. all sported 30% or higher usage percentages. Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero, who earned his first All-Star selection during a stellar season, led the Magic and tied with Mitchell with a usage percentage of 33.2% during the playoffs.
Having Mobley increase his role on the offense could be a major key in reaching his potential as an effective all-around big for the Cavs, a needed commodity in an Eastern Conference that saw its Northeastern rosters strengthen through blockbuster trades and signings in the offseason.