Evan Mobley

BIOGRAPHY

Evan Mobley was born on June 18, 2001, in San Diego, California. He is a center/forward in the NBA. Mobley, along with his older brother, Isaiah, began playing basketball from an early age under the guidance of their father, Eric, a former basketball player. Evan was initially reluctant to play basketball but became more interested in the sport in eighth grade, when he stood 6'4. Mobley began playing high school basketball as a freshman at Rancho Christian School in Temecula, California. In his first three years, he was teammates with Isaiah, a five-star recruit in the 2019 class. In his college debut for USC on November 25, 2020, Mobley scored 21 points and had nine rebounds in a 95–87 overtime win against California Baptist. 

On March 11, 2021, at the Pac-12 Tournament quarterfinals, he posted a career-high 26 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks in a 91–85 double-overtime victory over Utah. In a 72–70 semifinals loss to Colorado, Mobley scored 26 points for a second time, while recording nine rebounds and five blocks. As a freshman, he averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.8 blocks, and 2.4 assists per game. Mobley was named the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Freshman of the Year. He became the second player from a major conference to win the trio of awards, joining Anthony Davis of the Southeastern Conference in 2012. On April 16, 2021, Mobley declared for the 2021 NBA draft, forgoing his remaining college eligibility. Mobley played for the United States at the 2018 FIBA Under-17 World Cup in Argentina. In seven games, he averaged 9.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game, helping his team win the gold medal. Mobley joined the United States for the 2019 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Heraklion, Greece, but he was limited to playing two games and a total of seven minutes in the tournament due to back spasms. His team won the gold medal despite his absence. 

He was drafted with the 3rd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Cleveland Cavaliers.