Evan Mobley

Across every generation of basketball’s history, there are often a few players capable of being pegged as “too big for guards, and too quick for bigs.” As he knifed through traffic against the Chicago Bulls’ helpless defense on November 11, 2024, Evan Mobley made it clear that in Year Four, he would be among those making the cut. Eyes alight immediately after getting a potentially-fruitful switch against Zach LaVine, the soon-to-be first-time All-Star prevails in both the speed and power matchup, pairing his blur-quick drive with a nifty spin inside. Like windshield wipers working against rain, Mobley adjusts to offset Nikola Vučević’s help defense before sealing the deal with a fierce two-handed flush through traffic. Finding bucket-getting to be at a premium, especially over the first three quarters, Mobley joined right in, recording a 15-point (on 6-of-10 shooting) performance, alongside 11 rebounds and two assists. Following in his lead, the Cleveland Cavaliers survived their Central Division foes’ best shot, elevating to 12-0 on November 11, 2024.