Evan Mobley has had high expectations ever since he got to the league. He had a great year in 2025, but had an up and down 2026.
It felt like Mobley fell out of favor with most throughout the league, as he flew under the radar after the All-Star break. He had a very strong finish to the year, including a playoff run where he was arguably Cleveland’s most consistent player.
This year, Mobley is looking to show that he can still be the player that was drawing comparisons to Kevin Garnett and Chris Bosh. If his media day availability is any indication, then one thing is clear.
Evan Mobley will return to All-Star form this season
Kenny Atkinson said during his media day availability last week that he is seeing a different level of focus and mindset from Mobley. He also said that he is coming into this season with a chip on his shoulder.
Mobley echoed those comments during media day, when he said that he has more of an edge this season and is excited to show how he improved during the summer. He also put on some weight, as he is now listed at 230 pounds.
The sixth-year forward also said that he developed a go-to move this summer to help simplify his game, which is huge because it felt like a lot was thrown at him last year and there wasn’t one thing offensively he could get to. Getting to his spots and becoming more of a self creator will help his game.
Even Donovan Mitchell talked about getting the ball to Mobley in different spots and using his playmaking ability to unlock Cleveland’s offense. It shows everyone in the organization still believes in Mobley.
The Cavs also made a massive bet on Mobley this summer. They declined to include him in trade offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jaylen Brown, which could have also meant another LeBron James return. President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman views Mobley as a franchise pillar, so he has to deliver this season.
The time is now for Mobley. No more hypotheticals. No more ifs. Just time to produce results. It looks like he had the right approach this summer. He needs to make sure that leads to on court success, not only for himself, but also to solidify the Cavaliers as true contenders in an absolutely loaded Eastern Conference.