I was kidding .... kinda. Putting Mobley on that list is an absolute insult to those former greats. I watch Mobley "Games" not highlights and wonder what you guys see in this dude .... other than being 7 foot tall. mediocre shooter mediocre rebounder no post game And you add him to a list that includes multiple time MVP's , rebounding leaders , scoring leaders & final's MVP's .....
Or maybe there's other options - Some might believe they can get the big we need later in the draft .... no need to spend the #2 pick on Clint Capela lite. Some might think the team has its bigs in Wood / Olynyk. Some just might not buy into Mobley being all that and a bag of chips .... He damn sure aint in the mold of Ayton , Embiid or Joker.
Be realistic .... 7foot 210 with NCAA shooting splits of .578/.288/.694. Tell me what screams Superstar ? I guess it was the 3 points and 5 boards against powerhouse Utah or the 3 rebounds against Washington state .... The way some around here tell it , he was dominating the competition in the NCAA averaging 25/15 ..... but that just isn't the case. 33 games 10 times scored 12 or fewer. 10 times scored 20 or more. 12 times 10+ boards. 11 times 6 or fewer boards. Nothing about his play screams STAR in the NBA.
The team doesn't have Olynyk though, the only player the team has at the 4 and 5 is Wood, they'll need to draft a starter and some backups or/and go basement bargain hunting to fill 40% of the roster.
https://www.latimes.com/sports/usc/story/2021-03-19/usc-evan-mobley-ncaa-tournament-nba-draft-pick That urgency hasn’t always come so naturally for Mobley, prompting some scouts to wonder if he’s a natural top option on an NBA team. His skills are undeniable — an East Coast college scout told The Times “he doesn’t really have a weakness.” Another college scout from the West Coast told The Times that the only questions he’s heard about Mobley center on “basically heart and motor and toughness.” “If he figures it out, as far as playing hard and all that, he can be like Anthony Davis,” the scout said. “But that’s a huge question because he’s not that tough, he’s not that physical. He doesn’t play as hard as he should right now. But he’s talented as hell.” Those closest to Mobley bristle at any such suggestion. Sure, he’s the quiet, reserved type. Never too high, never too low. “He makes it look effortless, and people say he’s not playing hard,” his father and USC assistant Eric Mobley says. “Well, it’s easy for him, you know? That’s a special gift.” That natural calm, they believe, has been misunderstood by nitpicking scouts. “He’s not that outspoken or emotional, and it makes it hard for people to read him,” says Compton Magic founder Etop Udo-Ema, who coached Mobley during AAU. “I get that. But I know Evan. Evan has a trigger.” Still, at times, that trigger went long stretches without being pulled this season. In his first meeting with Utah, he didn’t attempt a field goal. In six other games, Mobley took seven or fewer shots from the field. Often, that was due to the double teams he routinely demanded. But not always. After an especially passive performance from Mobley in a January loss at Oregon State, USC coach Andy Enfield challenged the freshman to assert himself. He responded by averaging more than 20 points and 11 rebounds over his next three games. “There have been games throughout the season where we’ve had to coach him and motivate him like everyone else,” Enfield said. “We needed more from him. We demanded it. And he responded.” Ray Barefield remembers similar conversations with Mobley, who sprouted 11 inches between eighth and ninth grade. When he arrived at Rancho Christian School in Temecula to play for Barefield, he was still a point guard in a gangly center’s body. It would take time for him to grow into the dominant big man prospect he’d become. So Barefield manufactured opportunities, keeping touch counts to ensure Mobley was constantly involved. Mobley, a self-described perfectionist, was still reluctant to make mistakes. “Sometimes it was difficult to get him to make sure he’s the focal point,” Barefield said. “He’s so unselfish. He does the right thing. He’s not going to force it. Sometimes, he’s selfless to a fault.” How that might translate at the NBA level depends somewhat on the team that takes him and the supporting cast around him. But as far as Udo-Ema sees it, Mobley’s willingness to adapt is perhaps his greatest asset at the NBA level. He’s like a ball of clay, Udo-Ema says, capable of being molded however his next team sees fit. “There’s no ceiling with his development. He could be anything. He could be KD. He could be Giannis,” Udo-Ema said, referencing NBA stars Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. “He could be a mix. Who knows what he’s going to develop into, depending on where he goes and who’s coaching him. But he really is a blank canvas.”
Makes sense that Mobley is a former PG who outgrew the position. His skillset is obviously that of a guard.
I never denied that. I have only one real issue with Mobley, an inability to handle physical contact. Green isn't as well rounded as him, but he can drive and finish strongly. Physical contact doesn't bother him. He does need to get physically stronger and improve on defense. Suggs is the safest player. I don't think he should be the second pick. Mobley and Green have more upside than him.
Mobley actually gets to the line more than Green does. And Mobley is less turnover or foul prone than Green. Both are skinny, but neither avoids contact. Mobley just plays a position that requires more size. If skinny Capela could bulk up, do not see why Mobley cannot either. And finally, Mobley will not play the 5 spot with the Rockets at least not immediately or ever), he will be a forward. Similar to his role with USC.
A 7 ft player is supposed to get to the line more often than a 6'5" player. Mobley needs to get bigger. His frame isn't bad. He doesn't avoid contact against players that he can match up with, but bigger players give him problems. Green is skinny, but he is willing to go through contact much better than Mobley. I think Mobley might turn to be a better Myles Turner at best, but I think he needs to play with more force. I like his touch and his overall game.
That's fine...at the same time, some people think Mobley has the potential to not only be a DPOY but a guy that can be your #2 scorer. Not everyone is sold that Green is the next great SG and see him as Adam Levine (Ahem...Zach Lavine...but let the typo stand for the laughs) light.
Myles Turner was never considered a top 2 pick. Myles Turner never played PG nor does he have or will he ever develop the guard skills that Mobley has right now. Mobley is better overall basketball player than Turner is right now. Rockets would not trade 2nd pick overall for Myles Turner straight up. Nor should they. And FYI - no center gets to the line as often as James Harden. If your forte is OFFENSE then you'd better get your ass to the line. Especially when your defense reeks.
Oh so we have 0 all star players now? What is John Wall? A burnt out has been then? What about Olynyk? The best option is Suggs, a proven ex QB....
