Jarrett Allen’s incredible response to being overlooked on star-studded Cavs roster

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen has been a crucial ingredient to the Cavs’ success in recent years, but playing alongside guys like Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley sometimes means being overlooked.

That isn’t a problem to Allen, who feels like he’s appreciated by the people who matter the most.

“I don’t feel like I really need people to pump me up,” Allen told Cleveland.com. “I used to feel underappreciated. But the appreciation comes from the people who matter the most — everyone in this locker room.”

In the 2021-22 campaign, Allen earned an All-Star nod and helped the Cavs put together their first winning season in years. The franchise then acquired Mitchell in the 2022 offseason, marking the beginning of a new era that has been headlined by Cleveland’s “core four.”

The “core four” is, of course, made up of Mitchell, Garland, Mobley and Allen. While every one of those players is beloved in Cleveland, it’s sometimes Mitchell, Garland and Mobley who get most of the shine.

But that hasn’t stopped Allen from being his usual, impactful self for the Cavs: a double-double threat who provides stellar defense and does the little things. This season, the big man is averaging 13.3 points, 10.0 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while shooting a career-high 68.7 percent from the field.

As long as he feels appreciated in the Cleveland locker room, it seems like he can do without the external validation. That’s a wonderful mindset for him to have, and it speaks to a Cavs culture that appears to be extremely strong right now.

Allen’s play has been key to an unbelievable start to the season for Cleveland. At 28-4, the Cavs have the best record in the NBA and are currently on pace to go 72-10. It may be too early to say it, but a 72-10 pace isn’t very far off from a certain record set by the Golden State Warriors in the 2015-16 season.

Allen was involved in some trade rumors over the offseason, but it seems like he and his Cavs teammates are building something that may be worth keeping intact for years to come. As long as Cleveland keeps winning, it’s likely safe to assume that the organization will try very hard to keep its “core four” together.