A few weeks ago, LeBron James was calling Cleveland Cavaliers rookie Evan Mobley one of the team’s best prospects since they drafted him years ago. According to a team press release made Tuesday, he will be on the shelf for a while, missing approximately 2-4 weeks due to a right elbow sprain.
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) November 16, 2021
Mobley injured himself in the third quarter trying to make a play on the ball while inadvertently being hit in the elbow by Enes Kanter. The incident ended a one-point, 0-11 shooting performance in Cleveland’s 98-92 loss to the Boston Celtics.
In his emergence, Evan Mobley has surprised some as possibly the top rookie in the League for a much improved Cleveland Cavaliers (9-6) team. He ranks second amongst all rookies in scoring and rebounding, averaging 14.6 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.6 blocked shots, and 2.5 assists while leading rookies in blocks and double-doubles.
Your NBA Rookie of the Year through 14 games, Evan Mobley. Over his last 5 games: 19.6 PTS, 7.4 REBS, 2.2 AST, 1.8 BLK, 1.0 STL, 62% from 2, 43% from 3 and wins over the Celtics, Knicks, Raptors and Pistons. 20 years old yet impacting winning all over the court already. pic.twitter.com/7Zze7IlB21
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) November 14, 2021
Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff clarified what he expected of his team after Mobley’s injury announcement via Yahoo! Sports.
” Everybody’s got to do their part,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said per Yahoo! Sports, Tuesday, shortly after news of Mobley’s injury was released. “We’re obviously down him, but we’re down other bodies, and that’s the NBA. In 82 games, at some point in time, everybody’s going to get an opportunity, and everybody’s just got to step up and do a little bit more. We can’t expect one person to replace Evan or Collin or Kevin or Lauri or any of these guys who have been out. It’s got to be a group where everybody does a little bit more to fill that gap.”
The first game that Evan Mobley will miss will be against the Brooklyn Nets (10-5).