“He’s the best defensive rookie I’ve seen in the last decade” – Sam Vecenie with big praise for Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley
When the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Evan Mobley third overall in the 2021 draft, the hope was that the athletic prospect could turn into a promising two-way big man. But no one could have seen the type of play coming from the impressive 20-year-old rookie.
The Cleveland Cavaliers (21-16) have been one of the NBA's top surprises this season. After finishing 22-50 last season, Cleveland is fifth in the Eastern Conference. The rookie big man has played a massive part in an impressive start. Mobley has impressed with his impact on both sides of the ball.
In a recent article by The Athletic's Sam Vecenie, the well-known draft analyst talked about how Mobley is turning heads.
"He's the best defensive rookie I've seen in the last decade," Vecenie wrote.
Vecenie wrote about the impact Mobley has had compared to other notable rookies in his segment focusing on top first-year players. Mobley has turned the Cavaliers into a potential playoff contender in just a few months.
Vecenie wrote about how Mobley has become the Cavs' best player:
"He's still, in my view, the most important player on a team currently battling for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference."
Has Evan Mobley been the best rookie this season?
“He’s the most important player on a team currently battling for a top-four seed in the Eastern Conference.”
@Sam_Vecenie’s NBA rookie rankings: theathletic.com/3047329/?sourc… https://t.co/bfRr5tlSnL
Evan Mobley impressing in the NBA
It seems as if Evan Mobley has gotten better with each passing week.
It's not often NBA teams find young centers who can make such a drastic impact so early in their careers, but Mobley has been a rising star with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Although the 20-year-old big man came into the league with a reputation for his ability on defense, he has also proved to be a dynamic weapon offensively.
With Mobley thriving, the Cavaliers have emerged as a serious playoff contender in the Eastern Conference.
#EvanMobley = certified bucket 🌟
#NBAAllStar | #LetEmKnow https://t.co/G4vPeCCIUh
In his last four games, Mobley has averaged 20.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 blocks per game while shooting 63.3%.
If he can continue at this level, Mobley will remain as the frontrunner for the NBA's Rookie of the Year award. Also, the way Mobley is playing, the Cavs could even make a surprising playoff run. The team has missed the playoffs in each of the past three seasons.
In fact, Cleveland is one shy of matching its best win total from the past three years: 22-50 last season, 19-46 in 2019-20 and 19-63 in 2018-19.