Evan Mobley: 2023 All Defensive 1st Team

Eli's Nipples said:

This guy's IQ on offense is just advanced level. It's up there with LeBron as far as Cavs history goes. Him and Garland will be magical together. Similar to Jokic and Murray IMO.

Additionally, he hasn't even opened the bag on defense yet. I think Cavs told him to use Summer League to focus on perimeter defense and don't put himself in situations in the paint

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His IQ is up there with LeBron?

You guys are setting yourself up for disappointment with comparisons like this lol.

All4One1ForAll said:

His IQ is up there with LeBron?

You guys are setting yourself up for disappointment with comparisons like this lol.

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No I'm not. He sees the game ahead of other players. I said that before he was drafted. Watch his college game tape.

When you have cool things, Cleveland fans are the best at ignoring that it's cool until others say it's okay to think so.

All4One1ForAll said:

His IQ is up there with LeBron?

You guys are setting yourself up for disappointment with comparisons like this lol.

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I personally wouldn't say right now that he's up there with LBJ, although I think it his ceiling would put him in that zone. But I do think his passing/court vision is exceptional for a big man. I think that given what he has shown so far, it is entirely possible down the road that an offense could be run through him the same way it is run through Jokic. Not saying he'll be as good as Jokic is offensively, but then again, he'll give you more defensively.

A big guy able to distribute the ball out of the high post opens up all sorts of passing angles that shorter players just don't have. To me, that might be the best use of his talents. At a the minimum, a lot of horns sets with him as the dominant post.

The Human Q-Tip said:

I personally wouldn't say right now that he's up there with LBJ, although I think it his ceiling would put him in that zone. But I do think his passing/court vision is exceptional for a big man. I think that given what he has shown so far, it is entirely possible down the road that an offense could be run through him the same way it is run through Jokic. Not saying he'll be as good as Jokic is offensively, but then again, he'll give you more defensively.

A big guy able to distribute the ball out of the high post opens up all sorts of passing angles that shorter players just don't have. To me, that might be the best use of his talents. At a the minimum, a lot of horns sets with him as the dominant post.

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He plays above the rim and obviously moves much better than Jokic. The kid can legit break down and get pass wings with his first step. The sky's the limit with him.

He doesn't have Jokic's mass, which is why Cavs won't play him in paint until he's ready. But when he gets there, there won't be anyone who can stop him

Eli's Nipples said:

No I'm not. He sees the game ahead of other players. I said that before he was drafted. Watch his college game tape.

When you have cool things, Cleveland fans are the best at ignoring that it's cool until others say it's okay to think so.

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No one’s saying he doesn’t see the game ahead of other players lol. But comparing his IQ to LeBron, who might be the smartest player to ever play the game, is beyond absurd and just serves to set unrealistic expectations.

I can’t tell if it’s anti-LeBron sentiment or out of control Mobley standards that would lead you to that comparison.

I see him as kind of a Lebron-Durant combo. Like if Lebron had been skinny and 7 foot instead of muscular and 6’8, and had had a more natural jumper. His wispy mustache that doesn’t quite grow in reminds me a bit of Larry Bird, too. Also, his introverted cerebral aspect is reminiscent of Kareem. Some pretty good comps there!

Don't sleep on this guy.

He is Paul Pierce.

Mr. MacPhisto said:

He also doesn't have to be Durant to be good or even be a #1 on a team. I like the comparisons made to his upside potential as a combination of Chris Bosh and Anthony Davis.

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I kept hearing the Bosh comparison so I went back and watched some Bosh highlights. I’d forgotten how quick and explosive Bosh could be. Mobley has a way to go to be Bosh-like.

One thing you notice from both of these mixes is how the paint was still somewhat of a big focus as late as the mid 2000's. (if I remember correctly, a big complaint about KG was that he wasn't a real banger as a 7' guy, and also that he deferred his shot)

I think Bosh and KG and maybe TD are all good comps assuming Mobley adds muscle and some weight, but will they play him in true back to basket sets? You could see him using his dribble to get around bigger guys, his length to shoot over smaller guys, his court vision to hit the open man on the double team, but will he end up more often than not as the pop guy on the pnp looking for the straight away 3 ball? I feel like that's the piece you have to guard against. I want the defense to respect the 3 from Evan, but I want him to impact all of the offense w/his immense skillset, size and length.

I loved the elbow action (that was extended to maybe 22') where Even got to make decisions with the ball. We almost always got a good look in that set.

Bill Russell with a potential jump shot, clearly.

Dr No said:

I kept hearing the Bosh comparison so I went back and watched some Bosh highlights. I’d forgotten how quick and explosive Bosh could be. Mobley has a way to go to be Bosh-like.

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Agreed. Mobley doesn’t have Bosh’s explosion, at this point. Watching Mobley, he honestly reminds me a lot of Bol Bol, in that both are so long, thin, & high-waisted.

sailfish said:

Agreed. Mobley doesn’t have Bosh’s explosion, at this point. Watching Mobley, he honestly reminds me a lot of Bol Bol, in that both are so long, thin, & high-waisted.

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if bol bol did this more often than not..

The Human Q-Tip said:

I personally wouldn't say right now that he's up there with LBJ, although I think it his ceiling would put him in that zone. But I do think his passing/court vision is exceptional for a big man. I think that given what he has shown so far, it is entirely possible down the road that an offense could be run through him the same way it is run through Jokic. Not saying he'll be as good as Jokic is offensively, but then again, he'll give you more defensively.

A big guy able to distribute the ball out of the high post opens up all sorts of passing angles that shorter players just don't have. To me, that might be the best use of his talents. At a the minimum, a lot of horns sets with him as the dominant post.

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A Jokic type is how I see him best utilized also, as dissimilar as they are physically. Need the shot to drop enough to keep them honest.

Obviously this kid can pass, but Jokic is best passing big ever, so we will see, but a big that the offense goes through would seem most likely outcome. As you said, the vision at that size and ability to deliver passes little guys can’t is huge.

Watching him pass, I went from thinking he needed to add weight for banging inside to adding weight to hold off guys up top as he finds pass.

No two players are exact and he’ll be better defensively and worse in other ways, but I see him as a similar type. That’s a more valuable player than Bosh ever was tbh, if he gets there.