Chicago Bulls’ Patrick Williams (44) shoots over Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley, left, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Cleveland, Tuesday, April 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Phil Long)
(official Cavs release) 5-22-25
CAVALIERS’ EVAN MOBLEY NAMED TO
2024-25 KIA NBA ALL-DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
BECOMES SECOND PLAYER IN CAVALIERS HISTORY TO EARN FIRST TEAM HONORS TWICE;Â
THE 2024-25 DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR WAS THE ONLY NBA PLAYER TO RECORD AT LEAST
1,000 POINTS, 600 REBOUNDS, 60 STEALS AND 100 BLOCKS THIS PAST REGULAR SEASON
CLEVELAND – The NBA announced today that Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley has been named to the 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team. Mobley, who was previously named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2022-23, is the second player in franchise history to be named to the All-Defensive First Team multiple times (LeBron James) and the fourth NBA player ever to earn two First Team selections before the age of 24 (Tim Duncan, Serge Ibaka and Jaren Jackson Jr.). He also becomes only the fourth player in Cavaliers history to earn two or more All-Defensive Team honors, joining Jim Brewer (Second Team in 1975-76 and 1976-77), Larry Nance Sr. (First Team in 1988-89 and Second Team in 1991-92 and 1992-93), and LeBron James (First Team in 2008-09 and 2009-10).
Mobley (7-0, 215) was named the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year, the first player in franchise history to win the award and one of only five players in NBA history to earn the honor before the age of 24 (Dwight Howard, Jaren Jackson Jr, Alvin Robertson and Kawhi Leonard). This past season, Mobley helped Cleveland finish with a 64-18 record and the top seed in the Eastern Conference for just the fourth time in team history. A 2025 NBA All-Star and two-time Eastern Conference Defensive Player of the Month (December and February), Mobley appeared in 71 games (all starts) while 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.
The four-year pro 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), 12th in field goal percentage and 16th 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 22nd-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).
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