Evan Mobley

Evan Mobley is the defensive backbone of the Cleveland Cavaliers, a 7-footer picked third out of USC in 2021 who has grown into one of the NBA's premier anchors. In 2024-25 he put it all together, winning Defensive Player of the Year, making the All-Defensive First Team, earning his first All-Star selection and landing on the All-NBA Second Team. What sets him apart on defense is range: he protects the rim yet moves well enough to switch onto guards and hold up on the perimeter, so Cleveland can defend almost any lineup built around him. Offensively he keeps expanding, adding a face-up game, a steadier jumper and real playmaking from the elbow, which is what lifts him from elite role player to franchise cornerstone. At the front end of his prime, he is Cleveland's two-way foundation.