Evan Mobley becomes first Cleveland Cavaliers player to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 25, 2025, 18:30 IST

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Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers has been named the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year. Mobley's impressive season, marked by 1.6 blocks per game and strong defensive presence, was crucial to the Cavaliers' leading the Eastern Conference with a 64-18 record. He also achieved a career-high 18.5 points per game, demonstrating his two-way capabilities.

Evan Mobley becomes first Cleveland Cavaliers player to win NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award

Evan Mobley becomes first Cleveland Cavaliers player to win NBA Defensive Player of Year Award (Image Credit: Getty Images)

Evan Mobley is 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year! After announcing nominees for the award just a few days back, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley has been declared the winner. He averaged 1.6 blocks per game and played an instrumental role in shaping the Cleveland Cavaliers’ journey to the top of the Eastern Conference’s leaderboard.

Evan Mobley won 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of Year Award

The name of the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winner is out. And, the announcement has brought jubilation to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ camp. It is because their defensive pivot, Evan Mobley, has been declared the winner of this award. NBA Communications shared the details of his achievement on X, saying:

“A four-year NBA veteran, Evan Mobley has been named the Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the first time. Mobley is the first player to earn the honor with the Cavaliers.”

He outdid Draymond Green and Dyson Daniels, who were nominated alongside him, to win the honor. About 35 first-place votes were in his favor, and he garnered 285 total points to earn the recognition. The award has activated the “Derrick Rose Rule” in his contract, increasing its value to $269 million from $224.2 million.

A peek into Evan Mobley’s 2024-25 season’s performance statistics

Evan Mobley’s defensive record for the 2024-25 season, with 1.6 blocks and 7.0 defensive rebounds per game, and contesting 10.4 shots on average, pushed him to the top of the nominees. The numbers highlight his award-winning presence on the court. The two-way genius accumulated an average of 18.5 points and 3.2 assists per game.

Here are the overall statistics of his regular 2024-25 season:

Statistic	Value
Games Played (GP)	71
Minutes Per Game (MPG)	30.5
Points Per Game (PPG)	18.5
Rebounds Per Game (RPG)	9.3
Assists Per Game (APG)	3.2
Steals Per Game (SPG)	0.9
Blocks Per Game (BPG)	1.6
Field Goal % (FG%)	55.70%
Three-Point % (3P%)	37.00%
Free Throw % (FT%)	72.50%
True Shooting % (TS%)	63.30%
Offensive Rebounds (OREB)	2.3
Defensive Rebounds (DREB)	7
Turnovers Per Game (TO)	2
Plus/Minus (+/-)	546

Source: StatMuse
Mobley logged a few career-high numbers, such as 18.9 PPG and 1.6 blocks per game, showing commendable improvement as a two-way player. His performance was pivotal in the Cleveland Cavaliers’ success as the Eastern Conference leaders with a 64-18 record.
Also Read: Darius Garland advocates for Evan Mobley as DPOY, takes a dig at Draymond Green: “He doesn’t hack, he doesn’t scream at referees”

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TOI Sports Desk

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