Just one week ago, it was reported that Cleveland Cavaliers star youngster Evan Mobley had suffered a right ankle sprain and was expected to miss a week or two due to the injury.
On Monday, an update on his recovery seems to indicate that Mobley is already well on his way to making his return to the floor for the Cavs.
Mobley was seen on video doing individual shooting exercises following his team’s shootaround for its preseason game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
It’s great to see the big man getting some work in. It is perhaps just as exciting to note how many of the corner 3-point shots Mobley makes in the video.
Mobley’s shooting ability and the many other aspects of his unique game are the reasons why he was recently pegged by a number of NBA general managers to have a breakout season in the 2022-23 campaign.
Even in his rookie season, he impressed greatly. In 69 games last season, he averaged 15.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 1.7 blocks per game.
Clearly, there is a general expectation that he is going to improve upon those numbers greatly.
However, it is not just about the numbers when it comes to Mobley. Despite the fact that he was just 20 years old during the 2021-22 season, he showed an incredible level of maturity and basketball IQ while on the court.
His defensive awareness and skill helped make the Cavs one of the better defensive teams in the league last year. His length and athleticism allowed him to cover players from beyond the top of the key all the way to the paint.
He seems to be one of the few big men in the NBA today that can hang with quicker guards and forwards.
Of course, injuries could get in the way of what many expect to be an ascendant season for Mobley. For that reason, the Cavs staff is surely letting the youngster take his time as he recovers from the ankle sprain.
At this point, it would be a surprise to see him back on the floor before the 2022-23 regular season tips off.
After tonight’s game, the Cavs have two more preseason games on the docket. They’ll open the regular season with a game against the Toronto Raptors.
Until told otherwise, it seems safe to assume that Mobley will be good to go for that matchup.
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