For the first time in his career, Evan Mobley looks like the dominant two-way player scouts thought he was poised to become right out of the gate.
He had already shown glimpses of a sweet offensive touch, but he’s been much more aggressive, efficient, and intelligent about his offense.
As for his defense, which was already top-notch, he’s taken things even further this season.
That’s why it’s not much of a surprise to see him become the league’s odds-on favorite to be crowned Defensive Player of the Year.
As reported by Danny Cunningham on X, Mobley has now become a -300 favorite with FanDuel Sportsbook.
#Cavs Evan Mobley's Defensive Player of the Year odds have moved further towards him after last night. He's now a -300 favorite on FanDuel. Memphis' Jaren Jackson Jr. and Golden State's Draymond Green are tied with the second-best odds at +1000.
— Danny Cunningham (@RealDCunningham) March 15, 2025
He has passed Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. and Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green, both of whom are tied at +1000 for the second-best odds.
Notably, Jaren Jackson Jr. had emerged as the favorite after Victor Wembanyama fell with a season-ending injury.
Mobley, however, has been much more consistent, not to mention the defensive anchor for the best team in the league.
He should also be a strong candidate to win Most Improved Player.
His improvement goes way beyond the numbers or stats.
For years, analysts claimed that Mobley was this team’s X factor.
And now that he’s taken a massive leap and shown that he can be one of the best two-way players in the game, he’s raised the team’s floor like few other players have done in recent years.
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