Evan Mobley has been a highly praised center for his extraordinary abilities. But, is Evan Mobley legit and can he change the game of basketball for centers?
1. Body and Athleticism – 7’0, 215 lbs, 7’4 wingspan
Evan Mobley’s unique body makes him a “unicorn”. His unique athleticism is one-half of that nickname. Mobley is a fluid athlete and runs like a professional. For his height, Mobley is very fast. His long wingspan should help him in the future. But the biggest concern is Mobley’s weight as he is too skinny for a center and can cause him to get bullied at the rim. However, Mobley should fill out as he is very young. Overall he has great athleticism for a big.
2. Scoring – 16.4 PPG, 57.8% FG, 30.3% 3FG
This is the second half of Mobley being a “unicorn”. Mobley has an extremely impressive offensive arsenal for a big. As a PNR man, Mobley was dominant when rolling to the rim converting over 70% of shots off it. When popping out for a two or three, Mobley shot 44% which is good for a big man. Off spot-up shots, Mobley shot 54% aFG, and off the dribble was even better at 57% aFG. Mobley also was able to get to the line a great number of times and shot 69.4% from the line. Without the ball, Mobley is an active player making him a nightmare to guard. Every fourth cut for Mobley sends him to the line. Mobley’s ability to run makes him great in transition. Mobley is also able to blow past defenders and is great at getting to the rim. In the post, however, Mobley struggles. Mobley isn’t able to bully due to his lack of weight and his footwork isn’t good. Hopefully, he learns how to be a dominant post player with time. Mobley is the ideal center for today’s era.
3. Ball Handling and Passing -2.4 APG and 2.2 TOV
Mobley’s passing isn’t anything special but it isn’t bad by any means. Mobley is a better passer than scorer in the post. He is also a better iso creator than iso scorer. Ball handling-wise, we barely saw what Mobley was able to do but the flashes seemed that he had a nice handle on the ball. He also has a low turnover rate of 7%. It will be interesting how Mobley’s playmaking translates.
4. Defense and Rebounding -8.7 TRB, 0.8 STL, 2.9 BLK
Defensively, Mobley is superior to everyone in the draft. The eye test tells you that Mobley is a top-tier defender due to his ability to stay with defenders and protect the rim. The stats will also support this. Mobley has a block percentage of 9.1%. Most great rim protectors have a percentage of 4%-7%. When switching onto wings and guards, Mobley uses his fluidness to lockdown these guys. Mobley’s combination of length and speed makes him have the potential to be a generational defender.
5.Comparison(s):
Raptors Chris Bosh: Similar frame and offensive talent. Mobley may have a higher ceiling as a defender
Pau Gasol: Bigs that shoot, pass, and play great defense.
Projection: There is no doubt that Evan Mobley is by far the best big in this draft. Mobley has superstar potential to be like Nikola Jokic. His floor is a primary rim protector that can shoot like a modern-day Brook Lopez. Overall, Mobley will come into the NBA and be a force to reckon with.
Photo: FanSided
