Cavs Mobley Named NBA Defensive Player Of The Year

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CLEVELAND, OHIO – APRIL 30: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers blocks a shot by Franz Wagner #22 of the Orlando Magic during the fourth quarter of game five of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse on April 30, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Cavaliers defeated the Magic 104-103. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Cleveland Cavaliers 4th year forward Evan Mobley has been named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

The 6’11 Mobley becomes the first ever Cavalier to win the award.

Offensively Mobley averaged 18.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per contest, but it’s on defense where he really stood out as he blocked 1.6 shots and added almost 1 steal per game, while guarding every position on the floor.

The 23 year old former USC Trojan edged out finalists Dyson Daniels of the Atlanta Hawks and Draymond Green from the Golden State Warriors.

(official Cavs release) 4-24-25

EVAN MOBLEY NAMED KIA NBA DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

BECOMES FIRST PLAYER IN CAVALIERS HISTORY AND FIFTH-YOUNGEST IN LEAGUE HISTORY TO WIN THE AWARD;

WAS A TWO-TIME DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE MONTH WINNER AND THE ONLY PLAYER IN THE NBA TO RECORD AT LEAST

1,000 POINTS, 600 REBOUNDS, 60 STEALS AND 100 BLOCKS THIS PAST REGULAR SEASON

CLEVELAND – The NBA announced tonight that Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley has been named the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Mobley becomes the first player in franchise history to win the award, as well as one of only five players in NBA history to earn the honor before the age of 24, along with Dwight Howard (23 years, 128 days), Jaren Jackson Jr. (23 years, 206 days), Alvin Robertson (23 years, 265 days) and Kawhi Leonard (23 years, 290 days).

Mobley (7-0, 215), who was age 23 years and 299 days on the final day of the regular season, helped Cleveland finish with a 64-18 record and the top seed in the Eastern Conference for just the fourth time in team history. The 2025 NBA All-Star and two-time Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month winner (December and February) appeared in 71 games (all starts), averaging a career-best 18.5 points on .557 shooting from the field, including .370 from three-point range, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.86 steals and 1.59 blocks in 30.5 minutes per contest. Mobley was the only player in the NBA to tally at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 60 steals and 100 blocks this past regular season, and ranked fifth in the NBA in blocks per game, fifth in plus/minus (+546, best in East), fifth in contested shots per game (10.4), 12^th in field goal percentage and 16^th in rebounds per game. In addition to registering 34 multi-block games (fifth-most in the NBA), no other player in the entire league averaged more than 1.50 blocks while committing 2.0 fouls or fewer. Mobley’s efforts propelled the Cavaliers to the NBA’s No. 8 defensive rating (111.8), including the third-best mark in opponent field goal percentage (.454).

Since entering the league in 2021-22, Mobley has a 175-94 (.651) record over the 269 games he has appeared in with the Cavaliers, which is the 22^nd-best win percentage among all NBA players over that span. The former USC standout and No. 3 overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft owns career averages of 16.4 points on .548 shooting from the field, 9.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 0.83 steals and 1.56 blocks in 30.5 minutes per game. Mobley already ranks eighth in Cavaliers history in total blocks (419) and was a Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team selection in 2022-23.