JB Bickerstaff believes Evan Mobley has got the "winning gene": "That's why he's impacted winning from day one"
Cleveland Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff displayed immense faith in Evan Mobley following the win against the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night. Taking note of the youngster's ability to impact the game, Bickerstaff claimed that Mobley had the "winning gene" in the postgame presser.
Evan Mobley has garnered a lot of attention as a talented young player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Only in his sophomore season have the Cavs seen enough potential to be convinced of his future development as a star.
This has been highlighted in many ways. Given his enormous size and length, Mobley has the potential to be a great asset regardless. However, pairing this with his athleticism and versatile skillset, his value virtually skyrockets.
He has displayed tremendous ability on the offensive side of the ball while having acute instincts for defense. Garnering comparisons to Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mobley certainly fits the template for the Greek Freak. However, the Cavs forward still sets himself apart in many ways.
This difference was seen recently in the game against the Phoenix Suns. The Cavs came away with a close 90-88 win. Mobley delivered the win in the dying seconds of the game.
Cavaliers head coach JB Bickerstaff had some high praise for Mobley following his late-game heroics against the Phoenix Suns. Speaking about Mobley's game-winning shot, Bickerstaff said:
"Check his track record. He's hit big shots in fourth quarters for us since he got here. Made big plays in the fourth quarter. He's got the winning gene. That's why he's impacted winning from day one."
"Tonight, obviously was a tough one. First game back against a really good defensive team. Made it tough on us. But I've thought again, if you have the courage to take that shot and the ability to knock it down, it's huge."
J.B. Bickerstaff says Evan Mobley has a “winning gene” after hitting the game-winning shot against the Phoenix Suns tonight. https://t.co/5V1F1uFvsA
The game against the Suns was the only performance that displayed Mobley's potential to be a star for the Cavaliers. With a nose for being in the right place, there are several avenues that Cleveland can pursue with regards to developing their talented youngster.
Donovan Mitchell to Evan Mobley for the winner in Cleveland! #LetEmKnow #NBA
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Read: J.B. Bickerstaff reflects on Evan Mobley’s strong mindset -“He doesn’t want to be the next Giannis”
Evan Mobley has a quiet night against Phoenix
Evan Mobley has received a lot of praise for being an extremely talented player for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Given his potential, this praise and attention has rightfully garnered as well.
However, he still has a long way to go before he can become a dominant force. This was also evidently seen in Wednesday night's game against the Phoenix Suns.
Although Mobley hit the biggest shot of the game, the Cavs forward only recorded six points and eight rebounds on the night. Considering that he shot 2-9 from the field in 32 minutes, there isn't much to say about the lack of opportunities either.
However, there could be some leeway considering that Mobley is returning from injury. Notching an average of 14.5 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, the young Cavs forward is still finding his footing in the league.
Read: Evan Mobley's stats as a sophomore for Cleveland Cavaliers have been a blueprint for top forwards in the league: All you need to know