"He might be the most talented rookie I have ever played with" - 2-time NBA champion bestows high praise on Cleveland Cavaliers teammate

Cleveland Cavaliers rookie big man Evan Mobley took the NBA by storm this season, turning heads with his impressive play on both ends.

Many expected Mobley, selected as the third overall pick in the 2021 draft, to take some time before he would contribute nightly. That wasn't the case as he blossomed once he stepped onto the court. He finished second in the Rookie of the Year award voting behind Toronto Raptors power forward Scottie Barnes.

Mobley looks like a franchise building block for the Cavaliers.

Veteran guard Rajon Rodon, Mobley's teammate and a two-time NBA champion, praised the 20-year-old big man:

"He might be the most talented rookie I've ever played with, being able to control so many things on the court without scoring the basketball."

Veteran respect 🤝

#MobleyMonday | #LetEmKnow https://t.co/X6Xgq84Tfy

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley making noise

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished 44-38 this season, doubling their win total from last season (22-50). The team had won 19 games in 2019-20 (19-46) and 2018-19 (19-63). Mobley was one of the major factors in the Cavs' strong turnaround.

The 20-year-old big man has become a versatile weapon on both sides of the court this year, showcasing his ability to be a dangerous asset as a defender. At 7-foot with the mobility and ballhandling of a point guard, Mobley looks to be a new type of big man who can dominate in a variety of ways.

Evan Mobley’s best blocks this season 🔒

Via @Tony_Pesta https://t.co/oQHoSgc8fs

The sky is the limit for Cleveland Cavaliers as Mobley looks to be just scratching the surface of his long-term potential.

With Mobley and star guard Darius Garland, the Cavaliers could be a team on the rise in the Eastern Conference.

Mobley averaged 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 50.8%.

Mobley finished second behind Toronto's Scottie Barnes in the closest vote in the current format for NBA Rookie of the Year. Barnes was the No. 4 pick out of Florida State.

The 15-point difference between the NBA Rookie of the Year winner (Scottie Barnes) and the second-place finisher (Evan Mobley) is the smallest margin since the current voting format began 19 years ago.

More ➡️ on.nba.com/3KajOuz

Full voting results ⬇️ https://t.co/LWhlYARDcX

Mobley was a star in his one season in college at Southern California, where he was a second-team All-American. He was the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. He was named first-team All-Pac-12, Pac-12 All-Defensive team and Pac-12 All-Freshman team.

Mobley averaged 16.4 ppg, 8.7 rpg and 2.9 bpg at USC.

Mobley was the John Wootten National Player of the Year at Rancho Christian School in Temecula, California, in 2019-2020.