CLEVELAND — As the Cavaliers prepare for their first playoff series in five years, their 21-year-old "unicorn" is in the running for some pretty prestigious hardware.
Power forward Evan Mobley has been named one of three finalists for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, along with the Milwaukee Bucks' Brook Lopez and Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies. The winner will be announced in the coming weeks, with Mobley attempting to become the first Cleveland player to take home the honor since its inception in 1983.
Currently in his second season after being the third overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, Mobley has only continued to grow as a key member of the Cavs' young core. The USC product ranked top 10 in the league in both total blocks (119) and blocks per game (1.5), with his rebounding stats of 711 overall and 9.0 per contest placing him top 20. In addition, his 4.8 defensive win shares are more than any player in the association.
Mobley's offensive numbers are nothing to scoff at either, with 16.2 points per game to his credit and a field goal percentage of 55.4% that's good enough for 16th in the NBA. His efforts were essential to Cleveland's 51-31 record, earning the club the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The league on Friday also named finalists for its other major awards, which are listed as follows:
Most Valuable Player
- Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee
- Joel Embiid, Philadelphia
- Nikola Jokić, Denver
Coach of the Year
- Mike Brown, Sacramento
- Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City
- Joe Mazzulla, Boston
Rookie of the Year
- Paolo Banchero, Orlando
- Walker Kessler, Utah
- Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City
Most Improved Player
- Jalen Brunson, New York
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Oklahoma City
- Lauri Markkanen, Utah
Sixth Man of the Year
- Malcolm Brogdon, Boston
- Bobby Portis, Milwaukee
- Immanuel Quickley, New York
Clutch Player of the Year
- Jimmy Butler, Miami
- DeMar DeRozan, Chicago
- De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento