What heights can Evan Mobley reach following his max extension?
The former third overall pick in the 2021 draft recently agreed to a five-year maximum rookie extension, making him the fourth member of the draft class to do so.
Early Career Highlights
In his young career, Mobley has already begun to achieve some impressive feats.
He finished second in the Rookie of the Year voting, only 15 votes away from Scottie Barnes, the winner. In his second season, he was voted third in the Defensive Player of the Year race.
Mobley has become more efficient each season, increasing his true shooting percentage yearly (54%—59%—62%). He has also improved his rebounding rates each year, going from 13.5% to 15.4% to 17.2%. These developments helped secure his $224 million contract and solidified himself as a cornerstone of the franchise’s future.
Another aspect of Mobley’s game that has been refined is his playmaking abilities. His assist percentages have incrementally grown each passing year. He started at 11.6% in his rookie season, then 12.6% and 15.9% this last season.
Mobley’s best playoff performance came against the future champions in the second round, which exemplifies his ceiling. With Jarrett Allen out the entire round and Donovan Mitchell missing games four and five, the Cleveland Cavaliers needed Mobley to step up.
He did that, averaging 21.4 points, 9.4 rebounds and 3.2 assists through five games. In game five, he scored 33 points on 24 shots, leaving Cavs fans with a taste of his ceiling.
Next Steps
There is still room to grow for the 23-year-old big man who has stamped himself as an impact player for a contending team. One of his next steps will be to continue growing his confidence and accuracy from three-point range.
In the four years under Kenny Atkinson, the Brooklyn Nets always had a three-point attempt rate that ranked in the top five. Last season, Mobley shot 37% from three on 1.2 attempts per game (22/59). While he has shot fewer threes as his career has progressed, there is reason to believe Atkinson will commit to further developing Mobley’s jump shot.
His most frequent spot he shoots from is right at the rim, where he takes 46% of his shots. He has operated primarily as a play-finisher within the Cleveland offense, with 72% of his buckets being assisted.
Situations like the play above are where Mobley excels. He can screen, roll, make a quick move and score. His sure hands allow him to catch any pass and finish with excellent touch, as proven by his 77% success rate in the 0-3 feet range.
Offensively, a step Mobley could take is using his handle, athleticism and body to create more opportunities for himself to show off his great touch.
While not the cleanest of reps, the play above showcases a part of Mobley’s game that can be tapped into. At 6-foot-11, he is a walking mismatch in a lot of scenarios. His next evolution could involve a more wing-like approach where he starts with the ball at the arc versus the paint. This will allow him more space to explore and open more playmaking situations.
Closing Thoughts
Mobley has had an impressive start to his career.
To Kenny Atkinson, he sees a clear All-Star who is ready to blossom. The 2024-25 season provides a new opportunity for him to put together everything he has worked on in a new offense that should feature him more. Will next season mark Evan Mobley’s first All-Star appearance?
Will he stay healthy enough to creep into more significant conversations, such as Defensive Player of the Year or even an All-NBA team?
October 23, 2024, against the Toronto Raptors, will initiate the biggest season of Mobley’s career and begin to answer some of these questions.
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