Evan Mobley Is Second Cavs Player Ever To Make All-Defensive First Team Multiple Times, Fourth Player To Earn Two Or More All-Defensive Team Honors

The NBA announced Thursday that Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley has been named to the 2024-25 Kia NBA All-Defensive First Team.

Mobley, who was previously named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2022-23, is the second player in franchise history to be named to the All-Defensive First Team multiple times (LeBron James) and the fourth NBA player ever to earn two First Team selections before the age of 24 (Tim Duncan, Serge Ibaka and Jaren Jackson Jr.).

The USC product also becomes only the fourth player in Cavaliers history to earn two or more All-Defensive Team honors, joining Jim Brewer (Second Team in 1975-76 and 1976-77), Larry Nance Sr. (First Team in 1988-89 and Second Team in 1991-92 and 1992-93) and James (First Team in 2008-09 and 2009-10). 

Mobley was named the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He’s the first player in franchise history to win the award and one of only five players in NBA history to earn the honor before the age of 24 (Dwight Howard, Jackson Jr, Alvin Robertson and Kawhi Leonard).

Mobley helped Cleveland finish with a 64-18 record and the top seed in the Eastern Conference for just the fourth time in team history this season. The talented star averaged 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.9 steals and 1.6 blocks.

Mobley was the only player in the NBA to tally at least 1,000 points, 600 rebounds, 60 steals and 100 blocks this season.

Mobley signed a five-year, $224 million extension with Cleveland last summer. The All-Star winning the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year Award triggered a clause in his contract that calls for him to increase the first-year salary of his rookie-scale extension from 25 to 30% of the salary cap.