Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley Favorite For Defensive Player Of The Year Award?

Former USC Trojans and current Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley has been putting together arguably his best season to date. Mobley is in the midst of his campaign for the Defensive Player of the Year award and is one of the favorites to win the coveted award.

Gabriel Duarte | Feb 23, 2025

Feb 20, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) during the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

In this story:

The Cleveland Cavaliers are flying high after the all-star break. The Cavaliers are the No. 1 team in the Eastern Conference with a 46-10 record and have one of the league's brightest young stars in Evan Mobley.

Mobley is in the midst of the best season in his young career so far. With the team success, comes the individual success, and there's plenty of it for the former USC Trojan.

Feb 21, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) defends Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) during the second half at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Mobley was listed by ESPN as one of the top contenders for the 2024-25 NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.

Sitting just behind the favorite, Jaren Jackson, Mobley has +130 odds at ESPN BET of winning the award. Currently, the fourth-year forward is averaging 18.6 points, 9.2 rebounds, and three assists per game. On the defensive end, Mobley is contributing 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals per game. He is inside the top ten in blocks per game.

Kevin Pelton of ESPN suggested that Mobley's defensive rebounding is what boosts him to the top of the contenders list for the award.

"Like [Jaren] Jackson, Mobley was a contender for Defensive Player of the Year in 2022-23 (finishing third in the voting) who anchors a top-10 defensive team," Pelton said. "EPM rates Mobley just behind Jackson, but Mobley has a far superior LEBRON defensive rating in part because he's a much stronger defensive rebounder."

Jackson is the current favorite to win the award and sits with +110 odds at ESPN BET. With the slim margin in odds, the race is practically wide open heading into the final stretch of the season.

Being recognized for his play on the defensive end of the court is nothing new for Mobley. In his lone season at USC, the California native was named as the 2021 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year award and was named to the conference's All-Defensive team the same season. At the NBA level, Mobley was named to the 2023 All-Defensive First Team.

MORE: Chicago Bears' Quarterback Caleb Williams Stars In Commercial With Jim McMahon

MORE: Can USC Trojans Land Elite Recruit Titan Davis over Penn State, Michigan, Texas?

MORE: USC Trojans Recruiting Class Surges To No. 1 After Flipping Elite QB Jonas Williams

Feb 7, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley (4) dunks the ball during the fourth quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

ESPN also predicted that Mobley will make an All-NBA team for the first time in his career. If Mobley makes an All-NBA team, it would be the first time a Trojan was selected since DeMar DeRozan made it in 2022.

"Here's where things get interesting...I'd make a pair of 2021 draft picks (CadeCunningham and Mobley) the next two favorites before picking [Darius] Garland from a large group of contenders, including Damian Lillard, Domantas Sabonis, Alperen Sengun, and Pascal Siakam," Pelton said.

Mobley is on track to become one of the best Trojans in the NBA in just a short time period. However, since he arrived on campus at USC, the expecations for the former No. 1 center in the class of 2020 have been sky high and he's exceed most, if not all of them. The sky is truly the limit for Mobley.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Recommended Articles