2021 NBA Draft Scouting Report: C Evan Mobley

PSO’s original Scouting Reports strive to be uniquely valuable in evaluating a player’s future outlook by focusing on the four main subjects that summarize a player’s likelihood of succeeding at the next level including: Natural Athleticism, developed NBA-Caliber Skills, proven Production, and overall Risk that each individual player presents to a team drafting him. For a full breakdown of PSO’s Scouting Reports, click here.

BIO

Pos: C

Hometown: Murietta, CA

School: USC

Class: Freshman

DOB (Age): 6/18/01 (Age 20)

Height: 7’0″ | Weight: 215 lbs.

Wingspan: N/A | Vertical: N/A

INTERESTING FACTS

Won PAC-12 POY, DPOY, and FOY; 2nd player to ever do that in a major conference (Anthony Davis)
2nd Player to ever win California Gatorade Player of the Year back-to-back years in high school (Jrue Holiday)
Evan’s father, Eric, played professionally in China, Indonesia, Mexico, and Portugal before coaching AAU for 11 years

ATHLETICISM

Pros

Elite height and wingspan; very lanky and a formidable shot blocking force in the paint
Fast in the open floor for size, takes long strides up the court and dives well to the basket
Lateral quickness is solid; most bigs struggle with this, but he does a good job staying in front of his man
Explosive leaper; already going to play above the rim with his size, but can really go up and get lobs
Second leap is a strength, very bouncy and active on the glass in general
Flat-footed leaping ability is also very strong; does not need a running start or momentum to affect a shot
Above average coordination and balance; often prospects of his size need to mature more before being effective
Plays solid defense against smaller quicker players; does not have trouble moving his feet

Cons

Weight is one legitimate concern, will have some trouble playing physical against the stronger centers in the league

Grade: A

NBA SKILLS

Pros

Game changer on the defensive side of the court; makes a living timing and picking off shots in the paint
Rebounds very well, not only with his size, but also body positioning underneath
Potential pick-and-roll monster; already can hit the mid-range pop jumpers and is an obvious lop threat
Solid passing instincts; can facilitate the ball to most angles by seeing over defenders
Does not commit fouls on defense; should have no trouble staying on the floor
Smooth scorer on offense; flashes potential to have a very deep bag of post moves and mid-range shots
Can go coast-to-coast in traffic comfortably with his handle as a big man which is rare

Cons

Must extend range behind the arc; this will make his game more complete and force defenders out of the paint to guard him
Lacks aggression/physicality when playing against bigger bigs

Grade: A

PRODUCTION

Pros

123.2 O-Rating; makes the entire offense better when he’s out on the floor
57.8 FG%; good number for a big who steps out of the paint to get his shots sometimes
1.8 fouls per game; great for a franchise center prospect, will stay on the floor for a while
2.9 BPG; true rim protector who makes an immediate impact on the defensive side of the floor
10 games with 20+ points; has the ability to make a big impact but rarely forces the issues
2 of 33 games with less than 10 points; will consistently contribute on offense
8.7 RPG; could have been higher, but good balance between offensive and defensive glass

Cons

69.4 FT%; not bad for a front court player, but needs to increase for someone that gets to the line so frequently
40 3PA all season; will need to grow this shot to become a modern offensive player
16.4 PPG isn’t bad when he’s contributing in other facets but also not that impressive for a top prospect

Grade: A-

RISK

Pros

High floor; already shows a plethora of pro-ready moves and the ability to impact defensive end
Great performance in the NCAA tournament; looked unstoppable at times on the biggest stage
With dedicated coaching, minor improvements or tweaks could unlock lots of new moves
Should benefit greatly from veteran leadership; has always been the best player on his team
If and when handle improves, his face up game should become a devastating weapon
Will always be an effective defender due to length and athleticism
Will be 20 for his entire rookie season; will get plenty of playing time which will accelerate his development

Cons

Occasionally takes plays off and slight questions about his energy, but this can be changed through a solid team culture
A big man that moves so well typically deals with a plethora of leg injury issues over time

Grade: A-

OVERALL

As a top prospect in his class coming out of high school, Mobley had a dominant season in the PAC-12, scoring in double digits in all but one conference game. Mobley averaged 16.4 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks during his freshman campaign, while adding nine double-doubles and proved that he is a threat on both ends of the floor.

Mobley’s size and reach are the first things that jump out as a prospect, but he has plenty of potential to become a big that can stretch the floor if he develops his jump shot. USC earned a #6 seed in the tournament this year, and Mobley played fantastic before running into Gonzaga in the elite eight. He expectedly entered the draft after one season and has his sights set on the top of the lottery.

His defensive ability as a rim protector will translate well to the NBA, and as he matures, he can grow into one of the NBA’s best big men. He has great defensive versatility and plays without fouling the majority of the time. Mobley runs the floor very well on offense, something all NBA teams love to see from their front court players. From mid-range into the paint, he can make plenty of moves to get to his shot. His outside shot needs improvement, but his form is fluid enough to believe this can be developed.

Pro Comp: Chris Bosh (Retired)

Projected Rd/Pick: Top 3

Prime Destinations: CLE, TOR, DET, OKC

OVERALL Grade: A