Author: Monojit Mandal
Isaiah Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers showed his brilliance in the NBA summer league, taking his team to new heights in July. Mobley led the Cavaliers to victory in the semi-final over the Brooklyn Nets summer team, scoring 23 points, grabbing seven rebounds and handing out five assists. His game-winning shot earned the Cavaliers a trip to the final round, where they will face either the Utah Jazz or the Houston Rockets.
The stakes are high for Mobley, who is looking to forge a successful career at the highest level of professional basketball by securing a spot on an NBA team. Although Mobley saw limited action in the NBA last year, playing just 52 minutes in the final two games of the 2023 regular season, his goal is to secure a consistent role in the league without having to return to a developmental league such as the G League, where he spent most of his first year as a professional.
What’s more, if Mobley manages to make the Cavaliers’ NBA team, he will have the unique opportunity to play alongside his brother, Evan Mobley, which will add an extra level of importance to his achievement.
The USC Trojan’s excellent play in the summer league certainly led them in the right direction. The Cleveland Cavaliers selected Mobley as the 49th overall pick in the 2022 NBA draft, and he signed a two-way contract with the team on July 2, 2022. This contract allowed him to split his time between the Cavaliers and the Cleveland Charge, the Cavaliers’ franchise in the NBA G League. Mobley was selected for the inaugural Next Up Game in the G League for the 2022-23 season. He signed a new two-way contract with the Cavaliers on July 7, 2023.
Mobley showed his flexibility as a rookie, playing both forward and pivot. His statistical numbers for the Cavaliers of 2.6 points, 1.7 rebounds and 0.3 assists per game, as well as 16.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game for the Charge, indicated his potential as an important player for the Cavaliers.
Mobley, despite his young age, possesses the necessary talents to make a significant contribution to the Cavaliers in the coming years.