Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley won the 2024/25 Defensive Player of the Year award, the NBA announced on Thursday (Twitter link).
Mobley is the first player in Cavaliers history to win the award. He averaged 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals this season.
“It definitely was a goal of mine coming into this year,” Mobley said, per Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor. “I put all the work in, so it’s a big day.”
As Fedor notes, Mobley ranked fifth in blocks and contested shots while placing second in field-goal percentage allowed. He was the only player in the league who appeared in at least 50 games while averaging more than 1.5 blocks and fewer than 2.0 fouls per game. The Cavs dropped 10 spots in defensive rating with Mobley off the floor.
The 6’11” big man beat out Hawks guard Dyson Daniels and Warriors forward Draymond Green for the award. Mobley received 35 first-place votes and 285 points in total, while Daniels was the runner-up with 25 first-place votes and 197 points.
Green (15 first-place votes; 154 points), Thunder wing Luguentz Dort (11 first-place votes; 109 points), and Rockets guard Amen Thompson (nine first-place votes; 93 points) rounded out the top five, with eight other players receiving votes, including two more – Clippers center Ivica Zubac and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo – who received first-place nods.
Spurs big man Victor Wembanyama had been considered the heavy favorite for Defensive Player of the Year honors through the All-Star break, but was diagnosed with a blood clot that prevented him from reaching the 65-game minimum.
You can view the full DPOY voting results here.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (Twitter link), Mobley winning the award comes with significant financial implications. Mobley signed a five-year, maximum-salary rookie scale extension this past offseason that included Rose Rule language, meaning his new deal would start at up to 30% of the cap (instead of 25%) if he were to win Defensive Player of the Year or make an All-NBA team.
Because he’s the Defensive Player of the Year, Mobley’s total salary over the next five years is expected to increase by about $44.8MM, from $224.2MM to roughly $269.1MM, as our maximum-salary projections show. That now leaves the Cavaliers with $219MM in projected salary in 2025/26, putting them over the second apron, Marks observes.
The right man won in my opinion, congrates. I mean Wemby but, you know. Mobley deserves this.
Just because Wemby averages 3 blocks per game doesn’t mean he’s the best defensive player
Lol, you seen him switch and guard smaller quicker guys? Have to ever seen so many jumpshots blocked? Not to mention still cleaning the defensive boards with the best of them. Care to elaborate a little more? As in who?
Yeah I’m not saying he’s not a great defender. 1 on 1 matchup he can hold it down. I’ve seen him get beat by quicker guards, which happens. Ehh he’s an alright rebounder, should develop into a better one once he gets stronger. When I watch him, I notice he can get lost in the schemes and can be late in rotations. Obviously, his length makes up for it sometimes. I think factoring in defensive awareness and IQ should be considered in regards to the best defensive player. Not saying he won’t get there, but he’s still learning
Switching is overrated, paint defense matters 100000x more than switching.
Congrats to him, very good 2 way player.
The right player won…
Wemby didn’t qualify but would of been close…
Should be a fun battle for this award going forwards
I don’t want to take away from Mobley, rules are rules and Wemby doesn’t qualify. However, at the time of injury with Wemby on the floor the spurs defensive rating was equal 5th. Without him, 27th. Was also ranked 4th in opponents +/-. More than 50% more blocks than second (Lopez). Not sure where he ranks in defensive rebounds but, I’m sure he’s near the top. TBall is tripping.
The importance of Wemby to the Spurs on both ends cannot be denied… Wemby is special on defence, teams avoid him like no one else…
However the Cavs are a much better team overall…
It is defensive player of the YEAR… So the right person won…
So Lugentz Dort should oh won DPOY?
Nah Nrg, I think we see the game with different lenses, that’s all
Big honor for a young player…….. sky s the limit
Congratulations Evan …….
DPOY… Amen Thompson
A lot of this also goes to Jarrett Allen, but I am glad Mobley won instead of a narrative driven player, like Draymond, who shouldnt even have been in the top 3.
Draymond isn’t a narrative driven player, he was well deserved to be in the top 3
Couldnt disagree more, Warriors had an awful season and their defense was VERY mediocre. Green himself also didnt have any great defensive performance. He literally spoke his way into voting after Wemby got hurt.
I think you may have been watching a different season? Warriors finished top 6 defense and had the 2nd best defense the second half of the season. Mainstream and social media must be misleading you. Probably shouldn’t comment on topics, particularly if you’re just talking out your
Maybe you are not familiar with these awards and thats fine, but they are given based off the whole season not half of it.
Also, you are wrong. Warriors finished with the 11th best defense in the nba.
No, YOU are wrong. Warriors had a defensive rating of 111, which puts them 7th in the NBA. AHEAD of Cleveland. And finished the second half of the season with the second best defense. So yes, like you said the whole season matters, right?
It’s on me that I scroll down to read silly, baseless comments like yours, but it’s infuriating to see the amount of people who talk about basketball and not understand it
YOU KNOW WHAT? You are right lmao I forgot to filter by dftrg so thats my bad. Regardless, Draymond didnt deserve this award at all.
Yeah nah I’m coming back to this because you’re statements are trivial and ignorant and shows you lack basketball comprehension
Because Wemby got hurt…