Evan Mobley

It took Evan Mobley just two seasons to prove he was worthy of a spot on the All-Defensive First Team. At 21, the Cleveland Cavaliers big man became the second-youngest player to earn a spot on the First Team, as well as the third in franchise history and first since LeBron James in 2010. He averaged 16.2 points and 9.0 rebounds per game on offense while posting 1.5 blocks and 0.8 steals per game as the leader of the NBA’s top-rated defensive unit en route to 51 wins, Cleveland’s most since 2016-17. Mobley is the first second-year player since 1999 to crack the First Team, ranking first in the league in defensive win shares, fourth in contested shots per game, sixth in total blocks and ninth in blocks per game on a team that held opponents under 100 points an NBA-most 24 times. His eight blocks against the Detroit Pistons on November 4 was just the third time in history a Cavs player registered at least eight blocks in a game, and he had eight games of four blocks or more. Mobley finished third in Defensive Player of the Year voting while placing in the 83rd percentile in isolation defense, and his switchability, fluidity, defensive IQ and rim protection were all instrumental in Cleveland’s resurgent campaign.