Evan Mobley did not have the season that he wanted to last year. After an incredible 2025 season that saw him earn his first All-NBA and All-Star selections and win his first Defensive Player of the Year trophy, expectations were high for an encore.
Instead, Mobley had an up and down first half of the season that caused many around the league to question whether or not his ceiling was actually high. He did have a great finish to the year, as he really flourished after the James Harden trade, and had a very strong playoff run.
Now as he heads into year 6, expectations are high once again for Mobley. And based off his media day comments, one thing is clear.
Evan Mobley is coming for it all this season
Mobley mentioned that he took time off to start the summer and ramped up after that. He worked on his shooting and his body, but he also said that he worked on developing a go-to move.
That is a big development given the fact that simplifying his game is what will help him grow. We saw last year when he made the simple play offensively, great things tended to happen for the Cavs.
Mobley also said that he wants to have more of an edge this year. Kenny Atkinson admitted as much during his media availability last week, saying that he expects the big man to have a chip on his shoulder.
Mobley adding a certain level of tenacity and force to his game would be huge for Cleveland. When he is aggressive, the Cavs are at their best. The version of Mobley that was an All-NBA player? That is what made Cleveland one of the best teams in the sport in 2025. When he is at his best, the Cavs are certified contenders.
It is no secret that Mobley needs to bounce back. Cleveland made a massive bet on him this summer. They didn’t want to trade him for guys like Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jaylen Brown, which could have meant LeBron James also signing with the Cavs as well. But, the organization has so much belief in Mobley.
They view him as a franchise pillar. They view him as someone that can be one of the best players in the league. He has shown that he can be. Now he has to do it on a more consistent basis and if he does, then this Cleveland team will almost certainly be in the championship mix.
