https://www.espn975.com/bench/ Chad Ford: You don’t draft for position this high. You take BPA. As good as Christian Wood is, he is not the foundational building block. You’re not building a championship team around Christian Wood. You throw that out the window and forget he’s even on your roster for a minute and think about a different question. Is Cade Cunningham, Evan Mobley or Jalen Green gonna be the best overall prospect in this draft down the road? The best building block to build a championship contender around? With that said, Mobley to me is one of the most interesting prospects I’ve scouted in a long time. He physically looks like Chris Bosh. He has movement skills like Chris Bosh and what have you but he does a couple of things that are so unique. One, he’s a shot blocker which Chris Bosh wasn’t and he’s an excellent shot blocker who rarely gets into foul trouble. His foul rate per 40 minutes is the lowest we’ve ever seen on a big this high in the draft. Averages about 2 fouls per 40 minutes. It speaks to a unique level of fluidity and mobility for Evan Mobley. He doesn’t run and move well for a 7-footer. He runs and moves well for a guard. Then you look at his offensive game. He can take you off the dribble. He can pull up and shoot. He’s an excellent passer. In many ways, statistically, he’s a unicorn because offensively he plays like a guard but has defensive abilities of a big man. Absolutely I think the Rockets could play Wood & Mobley together. Wood at 5, Mobley at the 4. I actually think, and I’m not in the majority here but scouts have told me, I’m not sure Mobley isn’t a giant 3 wing. The NBA is becoming positionless. Mobley is one of the few guys I’ve ever scouted that I say I think he can legitimately fulfill any of those roles. He might have better success there than as a big/5 because I don’t know if his frame will fill out to the point he doesn’t get beaten to hell by Joel Embiid in the post. Do you see Mobley having the aggression level — assertiveness offensively and maybe aggression defensively— if his foul level is that low, is he aggressively working his defensive assignments and what he’s supposed to be doing? That would be the concern for me. Is he aggressive enough defensively and assertive enough offensively for you right now? His defensive numbers are awesome. Excellent rim protector. Gets steals for a guy his size. If I were to raise a concern about Mobley, he used to be the #1 prospect in his HS class. Then he seemed to level off for awhile. His senior year, even part of his junior year, he started to coast a little bit. What scouts saw there maybe is he doesn’t have the drive, doesn’t love the game. There’s two arguments there. One, he’s a laid back kid. Laid back kids, that’s a problem. You want a guy who is really aggressive. Jalen Green & Cade Cunningham are very aggressive. They’re killers out there. That’s a legitimate question. The other argument is he was so skilled and at his size playing HS ball, he was bored out his mind. He was so good, there wasn’t a lot of extra stuff for him to do. You didn’t really see that at USC. While I don’t know his motor runs as fast as Green or Cunningham, he looked very engaged at USC. Highly intelligent player. Doesn’t play with the same emotional intensity but I’m a huge Mobley fan. I don’t think there’s a big gap between him and Cunningham. The way the league is going, he could easily end up having the highest ceiling and be a generational prospect. He does freaky things for a player his size.
Lol at the eye test and looking for players that look like they are trying super hard.. yeah cuz that translates into great players Cuz I want to draft the guy that looks like he's giving 150% to score 17pts in the g-league (Green will be good too though) Players that casually have the highest BPM in the NCAA will probably be bad in the NBA
https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/...-who-could-change-how-we-think-about-big-men/ […] Perimeter players have increasingly dominated the league over the past decade, while decisions like drafting Deandre Ayton over Luka Doncic or James Wiseman over LaMelo Ball already look like potential mistakes. With Cade Cunningham, Jalen Green and Jalen Suggs alongside Mobley at the top of most draft boards, NBA front offices could be wary of taking a big man with such glistening perimeter prospects available. But when it comes to Mobley, we have to change our point of view. Flip the camera. Maybe Mobley isn't a big man at all. Maybe he's a perimeter player who happens to be blessed with a long, lithe, explosively athletic frame. In other words: There is no spoon. "He's a 7-foot wing. That's how I talk about him," one draft scout told CBS Sports. "Evan Mobley's thing is that he's a player who was raised to be a point guard, and he's 7-feet tall. ... You can use him in a lot of ways that the centers of the past five or seven years are pretty rarely put in." Indeed, when you look through Mobley's video, you see a preponderance of guard skills just waiting to be unbridled and set loose upon the basketball world. Those, in addition to traditional big man staples like rim-running, rim protection and finishing ability, make Mobley a potentially franchise-changing talent on both ends of the floor. First thing's first -- Mobley's defense will translate immediately to the NBA. He averaged nearly three blocks per game at USC, coming with impeccable timing and instinct, in all variety of manners -- on ball, off ball, from behind, through verticality. He swatted jumpers as well as interior attempts, using his leaping ability and 7-4 wingspan to bat away shots at the absolute apex of their arc. I mean, look at where his hand is. This is not normal: With the emphasis on rim protection at an all-time high in the NBA, Mobley's shot-blocking alone might warrant a first-round selection. But what separates him from his peers, and what brings the "7-foot wing" description to life, is his ability to move his feet defensively on the perimeter. NBA teams relentlessly hunt big men in the pick-and-roll when they're unable to switch onto smaller, quicker players. It will take technical work and physical development for Mobley, but he has the tools to become an elite, switchable defender. Watch how Mobley moves his feet and keeps his hands up to avoid fouling when switched onto Arizona State guard Alonzo Verge Jr., who very clearly wants to cook Mobley one-on-one. Eventually, after a second attempt from Verge, Mobley gets the block and ignites the break: If you're concerned about higher quality competition at the next level, here's Mobley sticking with potential lottery pick Ziaire Williams in isolation and forcing him into a contested step-back 3-pointer: Mobley's versatility extends beyond one-on-one defense. His length, quickness and instincts allow him to make up incredible amounts of ground in a split-second. This proves especially useful when he must quickly transition from patrolling the paint to contesting a perimeter shot -- something he'll need to do a lot of at the next level. In the following clip he has one foot almost in the paint at the time of the pass to protect against penetration, but is still able to recover all the way to the corner for a blocked shot: "The defensive feel is so insane with him," the same scout told CBS Sports. "That level of trying to solve the rules of basketball -- being like, 'Will refs call if I [block] somebody's floater at the very top point?' That's always been how he's processed the game." Given all these attributes, Mobley has Defensive Player of the Year potential, which is crazy when you consider that his offensive upside is equally tantalizing. When it comes to traditional big man skills, Mobley is elite. He averaged 1.414 points per possession around the rim last season at USC, which was good for the 90th percentile in Division I college basketball, according to Synergy Sports Technology. He has incredible touch and footwork around the rim, with his length and athleticism making him an ideal roll man and lob-catcher: https://gfycat.com/fatherlyserpentinehairstreak While he only shot 30 percent on 40 3-point attempts as a freshman last season, his confidence, mechanics and footwork suggest that he'll eventually gain consistency from NBA distance. If so, he becomes even more deadly in pick-and-pop and dribble hand-off situations: https://gfycat.com/sandyquainthound https://gfycat.com/selfishemptyaardwolf The ability to pick-and-roll as well as pick-and-pop is a rare skill set for a big man -- but again, this is not a typical big man we're talking about. As such, Mobley brings even more to the offensive party, with the ability to create his own offense from perimeter for either midrange jumpers or forays to the paint: https://gfycat.com/tallacceptableafricanaugurbuzzard He even has potential as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, particularly from the side: https://gfycat.com/latedearestarmyworm Mobley has also shown a distinct ability to facilitate for others. He can initiate offense from the middle of the floor, much like Heat center Bam Adebayo. Mobley was particularly adept at high-low passes at USC, usually to his older brother Isaiah for easy buckets: https://gfycat.com/windyembarrassedbobwhite Plays like this show that Mobley can thrive next to another big, like Anthony Davis has done for the last couple of seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers. Mobley reads defenses well, and has the touch to throw lobs when the big defender steps up: https://gfycat.com/defiantneargalah With the Houston Rockets owning the No. 2 pick, the idea of Mobley and versatile big man Christian Wood playing together is incredibly intriguing. "I think when you look at a Mobley, he's gonna be able to do stuff inside, but also he has the ability to now step out to the 3, run the floor, pick-and-pop, dribble hand-off-pop, create space on the floor," Joe Abunassar, the founder and president of IMPACT Basketball who has prepared prospects for the draft for over 30 years, told CBS Sports. "So I think that if it was a big guy who only scored inside in college, that would be a little bit of a concern. But for a kid like that, I mean, he's ultra-talented." That talent has a chance to take Mobley even further if he can continue to develop as a playmaker. He averaged 2.4 assists per game at USC, and made some impressive passes in traffic. He averaged 1.264 points per possession in the halfcourt including assists last season, which ranked in the 87th percentile, according to Synergy. One of Mobley's most advanced attributes is his composure on the court. He rarely rushes or forces the issue when facing multiple defenders, and shows vision that should immediately transfer to the NBA level. Watch here as Mobley uses a wicked crossover to create separation, then finds his brother for a layup when the defender steps up: https://gfycat.com/handyfragrantbrahmancow He's also shown the ability to find open 3-point shooters either from the mid-post or from under the basket -- a skill that will serve him well in any NBA offense: https://gfycat.com/tangiblefrailamericanbadger https://gfycat.com/splendidwideeyedhyena And just when you thought there was nothing left in Mobley's bag, he breaks out his transition game. He runs like a gazelle and finishes above the rim, as he does in this Giannis-esque display of speed, skill and power, racing from basket to basket in four dribbles: https://gfycat.com/adeptsnoopyleech But he can also set up teammates with his ball-handling and passing ability on the break. You don't often see 7-footers throwing picture-perfect lobs from two steps inside the halfcourt line: https://gfycat.com/merrymeaslygiantschnauzer Given his versatility and upside, it's no surprise that Mobley is reportedly in consideration for the No. 1 overall pick by the Detroit Pistons. It's understandable that front offices might value a perimeter prospect over a big man given recent draft history, but we need to remember that with Mobley, there is no spoon. "Mobley is closer to a [Nikola] Jokic-level processor, where he's thinking about the angles and thinking about solutions that he specifically is allowed to have that other people just don't -- just from passing skills and the height and the handles," a scout told CBS Sports. "So I think that seeing him as a 'big,' rather than the possibilities of unlocking him offensively, sort of undersells how much weirdness there is there."
Cant wait to see Mobleys workouts against pro bodies. He is going to work out for more than one team right?
I was wondering if Green to Houston peaked a little too soon. It sounds like the pendulum has been swinging Mobley's way these past few days. Or am I mistaken?
Still seems like Green is the preference outside of the rumors of Houston wanting to trade up for Cade. Even the Jalen vs Jalen says no mention of Mobley for his lack of fit with Wood which i'm not sure i believe Wood would alter who we draft as a long term building block. Can we get a top pick for Wood + more? There are scenarios that involve Mobley + another top prospect where i would prefer it over Green, but Green is still my guy if Cade is gone.
I've just seen more pro Mobley posts here these past few days and seen national reporters mocking Mobley to Houston after a spell where it was all green all the time. Not scientific or anything, just an observation.
I honestly have not watched and analyzed the top prospects enough to wager my life on this being the right choice, but from what I can tell, Mobley is the clear choice at #2 (and arguably #1). Has freakish physical tools, moves well on his feet, knows how to use his length, has incredible handles for his size, has a clean, smooth jumpshot and most importantly, makes the smart plays to help his team win. In his interviews, the focus of his responses are on basketball strategies and adjustments to help his team win. His goals and achievements are always centered around winning. This is not a trait that we should be overlooking, especially on a kid with his physical gifts and at such a young age. Also, some of the comps for him seem way off. He is not like Ayton or other roll and D centers or traditional bigs. He actually comps more to a bizarro version of a wing like KD, except his focus has been on defense instead of offensive skills and shooting. I could see him playing alongside bruisers at the 5 to cover up his lack of strength against the few post players left in the NBA. On the other end, my concern with Green is that he seems like one those one dimensional scorers that only cares about himself, instead of trying to help the team win. Granted, he is super young, and I've never seen him play in a competitive environment (I don't count the G League), but from watching him play and on interviews, his focus is solely on himself. I have the same concern, to a lesser extent, about Cade. Suggs seems to have more of the winning drive, but his skillset might be more questionable against stronger competition in the NBA (although I do like him a lot more than most ppl here in CF). Any of these guys seem like a good choice, but Mobley just seems to be the safest bet.
According to CF, Mobley is dropping out of the lottery. LOL And the Tribe is still trying to justify to some posters that Mobley is actually explosive AF. But these guys rather pick nits between "athletic" and "highly athletic" instead of focusing on the fact that 7 footer is a defensive freak WITH advanced guard skills. SMH
Remember, according to some on here, whoever we pick at #2 better come in as a ready-made, 20/10 player with 50/40/90 shooting splits. There's no room for learning/growing. It's either you get a Hall of Famer or he's automatically busty.
I really hope the Green talk is all a smokescreen and we take Mobley. Trying to get the #1 pick is clearly a sign we’re not sold on Green.
LOL You should have taken my bet @Williamson because there may actually be one of these players in THIS draft.
Thanks for this @J.R. !!! Great in depth piece. Would love to see an analysis as comprehensive for both Cade and Green. But Mobley is just a FREAK. I mean, look at where his hand is. This is not normal:
