The Cleveland Cavs have been up and down in recent weeks, looking to head into the playoffs playing their best basketball. The pairing of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden has worked well thus far, and Cleveland will not be a team anyone looks forward to facing come postseason time.
One player who has been a disappointment for the Cavs this year is Evan Mobley, who has yet to take the offensive leap that so many have projected onto him.
Recently, however, former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins shared a wild take that Mobley could one day reach the stature of San Antonio Spurs phenom Victor Wembanyama.
“In the next two to three years, we’re going to be talking about Evan Mobley possibly how we talk about Wemby taking that leap. He has that type of upside. It’s all in his mind, though. There’s nothing that he’s lacking from a physical standpoint,” said Perkins, per ESPN Cleveland on X, formerly Twitter.
In actuality, there are several things that Mobley is lacking from a physical standpoint that will keep him from reaching Wembanyama’s level, including height, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination, among others. Still, as Perkins referenced, there have been times throughout the former USC big man’s career that he has been criticized for not being as aggressive as some would like on the offensive end of the floor, which some have blamed for the Cavs’ various flameouts over the years.
If Mobley were to come anywhere near the level of Wembanyama’s level, the Cavs would be bona fide championship favorites. For now, they’ll have to settle for being the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference.