The Cleveland Cavaliers have a legitimate star in Evan Mobley.
While his numbers haven’t changed that much this season, his play has been significantly better.
Mobley has been much more aggressive on both ends of the floor, and he’s the odds-on favorite to win Defensive Player of the Year.
That’s why fellow Cav Ty Jerome believes it’s time to start pushing that narrative before the voting starts.
Talking on SiriusXM NBA Radio, the Cavs’ backup point guard gushed about Mobley and how he anchors their entire defense.
"He just anchors our whole defense"
🔊 #Cavs Guard Ty Jerome explains why he should be the leader in the clubhouse for the award #LetEmKnow@WorldWideWob | @adaniels33 pic.twitter.com/9vsccocjGj
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) March 24, 2025
He thinks that the Cavs as a whole sometimes rely on him too much because they know what he’s capable of on the defensive end of the floor.
Notably, that allows them to freelance at times because they firmly believe he can block every shot whenever the opposition gets to the paint.
Victor Wembanyama’s season-ending injury left the door wide open for other players to run away with Defensive Player of the Year, and Mobley has passed Memphis Grizzlies star Jaren Jackson Jr. in that regard.
When he’s on the court, the team has a defensive rating of 108.
His ability to guard one through five and hold his own on the perimeter and below the rim is top-notch.
Mobley’s offensive breakout has also had plenty to do with this team’s turnaround in Kenny Atkinson’s first year in charge.
He still needs to prove himself in a seven-game series, but so far, he’s looked like one of the three best defensive players in the NBA.
NEXT: 2 Cavs Players Ruled Out For Trail Blazers Game
