NBA
Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson believes Evan Mobley has potential to be ‘in the MVP conversation’
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated9 hours ago on July 11, 2025
In 2024-25, the Cavaliers finished 64-18. That was the best record in the Eastern Conference. Despite a dominant regular season, Cleveland lost to the Pacers in the Conference semi-finals in five games.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Cavs are keeping the core of their roster together. Recently, head coach Kenny Atkinson was interviewed during Cleveland’s first summer league game. Atkinson shared that he believes Evan Mobley has another level to reach in his career development. He believes that Mobley has the potential to be “in the MVP conversation” in two to three years.
Will Evan Mobley take the next step and become an MVP candidate?
#Cavs head coach Kenny Atkinson’s full quote on Evan Mobley being in the NBA MVP conversation, noting that Mobley is “already stronger” after Cleveland’s season ended: pic.twitter.com/dDpvinSNgo
— Evan Dammarell (@AmNotEvan) July 10, 2025
With the third pick in the 2021 NBA draft, the Cavaliers selected Evan Mobley out of USC. Over four seasons, Mobley has developed into a solid two-way threat. His calling card will always be defense, but Mobley has worked incredibly hard to develop his offensive skillset. The 24-year-old has honed his shooting skills and can shoot with consistency from beyond the arc.
Over the first two seasons of his career, Mobley shot .233% from beyond the arc. Heading into the 2023-24 season, Mobely was determined to find consistency from beyond the arc. He’s done exactly that over the last two years. Evan Mobley made .372% of his three-pointers in 2023-24 and 2024-25. That type of development is why head coach Kenny Atkinson has lofty goals for Mobley.
Kenny Atkinson tells @JaredSGreenberg what he wants to see next from Evan Mobley:
“In these next 2 or 3 years, he’s gotta be in the MVP conversation.” 😤 pic.twitter.com/C5xLYFyTsC
— NBA TV (@NBATV) July 10, 2025
Atkinson recently said that he believes Evan Mobley can be “in the MVP conversation” in two to three years. Evan Mobley is heading into his fifth season with Cleveland. Kenny Atkinson emphasized how Mobley is becoming more comfortable with his routine and diet. Atkinson believes it’s all coming together at the right time for the young PF.
This past season, the big man averaged a career-high 18.5 points per game. Mobley also had 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.6 blocks per game. Evan Mobley was a first-time all-star in 2024-25, along with being named second-team All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year. If the big man can continue to grow his game offensively, the MVP conversation will happen naturally. Can Evan Mobley help Cleveland bounce back after a disappointing end to their 2025 playoffs?
