FOURTH ROOKIE IN NBA HISTORY TO AVERAGE AT LEAST 14.0 POINTS, 8.0 REBOUNDS, 2.5 ASSISTS AND 1.5 BLOCKS
CLEVELAND – The NBA announced tonight that Cleveland Cavaliers forward/center Evan Mobley has been selected to the 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie First Team. Mobley becomes the 21st rookie in franchise history to earn All-Rookie Team honors, with Isaac Okoro most recently earning a Second Team nod in 2020-21. He is also the 12th Cavaliers rookie to receive an All-Rookie First Team selection and just the fourth since 2000, joining LeBron James (2003-04), Kyrie Irving (2011-12) and Dion Waiters (2012-13).
Mobley, who was selected third overall by the Cavaliers in the 2021 NBA Draft and was the runner-up for the 2021-22 NBA Rookie of the Year award, appeared in 69 games (all starts) with averages of 15.0 points on .508 shooting from the field, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.67 blocks in 33.8 minutes. He became just the fourth rookie in NBA history to average at least 14.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.5 blocks, joining Pau Gasol (2001-02), Tim Duncan (1997-98) and Chris Webber (1993-94). Mobley led all first-year players in rebounds (8.3), blocks (1.67) and field goal percentage (.508) and ranked second in minutes (33.8), fifth in points (15.0), seventh in steals (0.81) and eighth in assists (2.5). He also led all NBA rookies in double-doubles with 21, which is tied for the fourth-most ever by a Cavaliers rookie.
The 7-0 rookie out of USC scored in double figures 57 times this season, including 20 points or more on 12 occasions and 30 points once. He grabbed at least 10 rebounds in an NBA-rookie best 22 outings and registered five games of at least 20 points and 10 boards. Additionally, Mobley had at least one block in 56 games, the second-most in the entire NBA behind only Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr. (71 games). Mobley posted 36 multi-block performances which were more than the rest of the top five NBA Draft picks in his class combined (25) and recorded a block in 10 straight games or more on three occasions (13 straight from Nov. 1-Dec. 5, 11 straight from March 4-24 and 10 straight from Jan. 4-22). His 13 straight contests with a block from Nov. 1 to Dec. 5 was the longest streak by a Cavaliers rookie John “Hot Rod” Williams from Feb. 22-March 18, 1987 (also 13 games). Mobley finished the season with 115 blocks, the fourth-highest total all-time by a rookie in franchise history.
Mobley won the NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Award for October and November when he totaled 244 points, 136 rebounds, 42 assists, 16 steals and 30 blocks, becoming just the 4th rookie in NBA history to accumulate those totals in their first 17 career games (Bill Walton, Mychal Thompson and Chris Webber). This season, he had 17 rebounds in a game twice (Jan. 22 vs. Oklahoma City and March 6 vs. Toronto), posting the most rebounds by a Cavaliers rookie in a single game since Zydrunas Ilgauskas on March 4, 1998 (also 17 rebounds). During a 27-point, 11-rebound effort in a win over Denver on March 18, he scored nine points in overtime, matching LeBron James for the most points in a single overtime by a Cavaliers rookie since 2003.
At NBA All-Star Weekend in Cleveland, Mobley helped Team Barry capture the title at Clorox Rising Stars and followed that up with another championship performance that lifted Team Cavs to the Taco Bells Skills Challenge crown. Mobley went on to finish his rookie season as the eighth NBA rookie since 1992-93 to accumulate at least 1,000 points, 500 rebounds, 150 assists, 100 blocks and 50 steals, along with Karl-Anthony Towns (2015-16), Elton Brand (1999-00), Tim Duncan (1997-98), Shaquille O'Neal (1993-94), Chris Webber (1993-94), Vin Baker (1993-94) and LaPhonso Ellis (1992-93).
Mobley (200 points) received 100 First Team votes from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters. The voting panel selected five players for the First Team and five players for the Second Team at any position. Players received two points for a First Team vote and one point for a Second Team vote.
Below are the voting results for the 2021-22 NBA All-Rookie Teams.
2021-22 KIA NBA ALL-ROOKIE FIRST TEAM
2021-22 KIA NBA ALL-ROOKIE SECOND TEAM
Below are the other players who received votes for the 2021-22 Kia NBA All-Rookie Team.
OTHER PLAYERS RECEIVING VOTES