CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers may have had an early exit from the NBA Playoffs, but they aren't leaving the season without any hardware.
On Tuesday the NBA released its All-Defensive Teams for the 2022-23 campaign. Making the first team was Cavs' second-year big man Evan Mobley, who earned 49 first-teams votes and 34 second-team votes.
The entire 2022-23 NBA All-Defensive Teams are as follows
First team
- Forward - Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies
- Guard - Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee Bucks
- Center - Brooke Lopez, Milwaukee Bucks
- Forward - Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers
- Guard - Alex Caruso, Chicago Bulls
Second team
- Guard - Derrick White, Boston Celtics
- Forward - Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors
- Forward - O.G. Anunoby, Toronto Raptors
- Guard - Dillon Brooks, Memphis Grizzlies
- Center - Bam Adebayo, Miami Heat
Selected out of USC with the No. 3 pick of the 2021 NBA Draft, the 21-year-old Mobley has found instant success in Cleveland -- especially on the defensive side of the floor. After earning first-team All-Rookie honors following the 2021-22 season, the 6-foot-11 big man averaged 16.2 points on 55.4 percent shooting, 9.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.8 steals in 79 games during the 2022-23 campaign.
Mobley also posted an NBA-best 4.8 win share, as the Cavs laid claim to the league's top defensive rating with 110.6 points allowed per 100 possessions. He was also a finalist for the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award, finishing third behind the winner, Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies and Milwaukee Bucks center Brooke Lopez.
After finishing fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 51-31 record, Cleveland's season came to an unceremonious end as the Cavs lost in five games to the New York Knicks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.