One of the top rookies in the National Basketball Association this season was Evan Mobley, the talented and skilled big man for the Cleveland Cavaliers.
He averaged 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocked shots per game in the regular season while shooting a robust 50.8 percent from the field.
His real potential lies in the years to come, and many around the league drool each time they think about how great Mobley can become within the next five years or so.
But in the meantime, the Southern California native did very well in his first pro season.
How did it stack up against the other rookies across the association?
Did Mobley Get Robbed Of The Rookie Of The Year Award?
It is not easy for a rookie to put up the kind of numbers that Mobley had this season.
Even better, he kept up his impressive production during the play-in tournament.
In the first game of the tournament versus the Brooklyn Nets, Mobley registered 19 points on 9-of-13 shooting, seven rebounds and two blocks.
Evan Mobley’s highlights Vs. the Brooklyn Nets. #LetEmKnow pic.twitter.com/P2AXaLLZ8Y
— Mack Perry (@DevaronPerry) April 13, 2022
Then against the Atlanta Hawks, he had 18 points while shooting 50 percent from the field, plus eight boards, five assists and two rejections.
As the third overall pick in last summer’s NBA draft, he outshined the top two selections, Cade Cunningham and Jalen Green.
Cunningham averaged 17.4 points a game, but he shot just 41.6 percent from the field and 31.4 percent from 3-point range.
Green had a similar problem, as his 17.3 points-per-game average was marred by his 42.6 percent accuracy from the field.
The only first-year player who could even come close to being compared with Mobley is Scottie Barnes, the Toronto Raptors forward.
He put up an efficient 15.3 points per game, as well as 7.5 boards and 3.5 assists per game en route to the Rookie of the Year award.
A very strong case could be made that Mobley should’ve won the honor, but ultimately voters opted for the man who was able to help his team reach the NBA playoffs this year.
The Best Thing About Mobley’s Rookie Year
Historically, many, if not most rookies in the NBA struggle on the defensive end.
There is a major adjustment to be made there, especially given the greater athleticism of pro players and how fast the pace of play is these days in the NBA.
But Mobley was clearly a force to be reckoned with on that end of the floor.
He had a 107 defensive rating this year, and his defensive box plus/minus was a solid 1.5.
Opponents are quickly realizing that when they drive the lane versus the Cavs, there is a real chance that Mobley will either block their shot or dissuade them from even attempting a shot there.
Evan Mobley. pic.twitter.com/uz18DKhlTB
— 🎞 (@PeakHornets) April 23, 2022
It’s no wonder then that Cleveland finished the season with a defensive rating of 109.7, which was seventh in the league.
The Cavs were one of the youngest teams in the league, and it is rare for such a young team to be so strong defensively.
But that strength has placed them ahead of schedule and given them a rock-solid foundation to build on right away.
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