The Cleveland Cavaliers always had a clear pecking order.
Donovan Mitchell was undisputedly their best player, and as such, he was responsible for leading this team forward.
Nevertheless, from a talent perspective, Evan Mobley may have been in a different tier than the rest of the roster.
That’s why unleashing his potential was so crucial to this team.
Finally, it seems like Kenny Atkinson has cracked the code.
The USC product is having a career year, and he’s taken a big leap as a scorer.
His defense has been nothing short of elite.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers sitting on a league-best 30-4 record, team insider Evan Dammarell has some high expectations for him this season.
I wrote about this today, but All-Star expectations are the floor for #Cavs star Evan Mobley this season.
I think DPotY, All-NBA, All-Defense, and MVP could be considered. He's been that good. https://t.co/jdrOApcYuQ
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) January 4, 2025
As a matter of fact, he believes he should be a lock to make the All-Star Game.
More importantly, he believes he should also be in the running to log an All-NBA and All-Defensive selection and be in the mix to win both Defensive Player of the Year and MVP.
The first two sound more likely, though.
One could argue that he is the Cavs’ most important player, but by today’s standards, he is not posting MVP-caliber numbers, and the fact that he plays for a small market team won’t help him.
Perhaps Defensive Player of the Year would be a more realistic goal for him.
Whatever the case, one thing’s for sure: Mobley has introduced himself to the rest of the league, and it’s time he gets the praise he deserves.
NEXT: Cavs Have Made NBA History With 30-4 Start
