TIER 1
Floor - Starting big
Bullseye - Multiple time all star, multiple all defensive teams, top 7 big in league
Ceiling - Multiple first team all NBA, DPOY, Top 3 big in league
OFFENSE
Pass - Grade: 89
Notes: Mobley's passing is one of his most promising offensive traits. Mobley truly sees the floor and actively looks to pass in a productive and not passive manner. Mobley has great touch on his passes, and is a very versatile passer for a big. Mobley throws lobs, entry passes, kicks out to shooters, finds the open man out of the post and double teams, and can pass with either hand. Mobley isn't too comfortable throwing bounce passes and often attempts passes into too tight of window and to players who are cutting but he thinks are spotting up, so those normally result in turnovers. Those turnovers come from good intentions though, and don't bother me. Mobley's vision and touch make him a great passer for his position. I expect him to be able to run team offense out of the elbows like Jokic, Bam, Vucevic, and Gasol can. It will take him time to get to that level, but he's got the tools.
Dribble - Grade: 85
Notes: Has displayed ability to handle it in the open court and attack closeouts off the dribble. Handle is good for a big and he's able to keep his head up a solid amount of the time. For a young big, his handle is very good. Needs to be tightened up and can often find himself not knowing what to do with the ball when he puts it on the floor. Good at being productive with his handle when attacking.
3pt shooting - Grade: 79
Notes: Good shooting stroke and promising mechanics, but shot just 31% on only 35 attempts this season. Mobley can become a capable three point shooter but needs to increase volume and comfort above all else.
Mid-range shooting - Grade: 84
Notes: Great touch on mid-range shots, and looks more comfortable taking them. Can hit from anywhere on the floor, but his decision making when shooting can be questionable. Hesitates often but still shoots it at a decent percentage when he does.
Finishing - Grade: 94
Notes: Great at finishing in all facets. Lob threat, great in the PnR and short roll, amazing touch, can get to his spots facing up, posting up, or attacking from the perimeter. Amazing footwork. Elite hook shot with both hands. Extremely fluid, can finish through contact or avoid it. Aware of help and double teams. Doesn't have a strong frame but can still attack with aggression and force.
Off-ball playmaking - Grade: 87
Notes: Not a great screen setter yet. Solid cutter and good floor spacer. Doesn't clog the lane for perimeter drivers. Pretty good at putting himself in position to attack offensive glass.
Offensive Rebounding - Grade: 87
Notes: Great reach, touch, and instincts make Mobley a productive offensive rebounder. Has a knack for tip ins or tipping the ball back out to a teammate. Relies on length and athleticism rather than functional positioning. Averaged 2.7 ORB per game this season.
Offensive Summary: 88
Mobley's touch, handle, vision, fluidity, feel, and PnR ability give Mobley the potential to be an offensive hub for an NBA team. Needs to expand range and build up strength, but the tools are there. Mobley should be the type of big that receives a touch on almost all of his teams possessions. His lack of shooting makes him tough to play at the 4 spot. Mobley can score in isolation and in PnR at a high level, and this along with his passing ability make his a really dynamic offensive player.
Defense
Engagement - Grade: 94
Notes: Very engaged defender, on and off ball. Covers a preposterous amount of ground and is never standing still. Always active and anticipating.
Containment - Grade: 90
Notes: Mobley has an incredible to stay grounded and move his feet when guarding perimeter players, similar to what we've seen from DeAndre Ayton throughout these playoffs. Never leaves his feet and never bites. Just stays grounded on his toes, and doesn't put himself in a position to foul by having his hand over ball (the way wings and guards are supposed to guard the perimeter). Mobley's length allows him to recover to contest rather than trying to prevent a shot attempt in the first place. Mobley is much more comfortable than most bigs at defending perimeter players, and this ability is what makes him a truly special prospect. Can truly defend in space.
Team Defense - Grade: 98
Notes: Mobley is an extremely aware defender who is always (and very quickly) reading and reacting to what the offense is doing. Amazing at positioning himself in a manner that takes away multiple options at the same time.
Rim Protection - Grade: 98
Notes: Extremely explosive when changing directions, and elite at staying vertical. Amazing at timing when to rotate and when to contest. Seemingly alters every shot near him, and is always in the right position to do so. Rarely sells out for a block, and is very good at immediately transitioning to a box-out following a shot contest. Has an elite second jump as well. Mobley dominates the lane and is elite at making finishers uncomfortable and altering their shots. The only weakness is his slight frame that allows stronger players to go into his chest. Aside from that, Mobley is a dream prospect in terms of rim protection.
Playmaking - Grade: 88
Notes: Mobley does not compromise himself to get a steal or block, and that is one of his best defensive attributes. Mobley will opt to alter or lightly block a shot rather than swatting it into the third row and giving the offense another possession. Mobley can be a little to passive on defensive playmaking at times, but it's understandable as he's the rock of his team's defense. This may change some in the NBA if he plays the four some.
Versatility - Grade: 99
Notes: Mobley may be the best PnR defense prospect out of the draft since Anthony Davis. Not only is he capable of every type of coverage, he's already good at all and elite at some. Mobley has DPOY potential because he can drop, hedge, or switch at a very high level. Combine this with his natural rim protection and ground coverage, and he's got all the makings of an elite defender.
Defensive Rebounding - Grade: 86
Notes: Since Mobley is so focused on rim protection, he compromises his defensive rebounding positioning a bit. He is still very good at recovering after contesting, but a lot of times it can be nearly impossible to recover. Mobley played alongside a couple of big forward at USC, and he relied on them a lot to rebound. With this being said, Mobley still has good rebounding instincts and utilizes his length. Can be pushed around by stronger centers.
Defensive Summary: 97
Notes: Mobley is as elite of a defensive prospect as they come. His rim protection, PnR versatility, and ability to guard on the perimeter are extremely rare and are extremely valued and useful traits in today's NBA. His one flow is his strength. He will struggle a lot against the Embiid's and Jokic's, but as he adds strength he will be able to hold his own against them. Mobley has true DPOY potential and the potential to be a defensive core on Gobert levels. He's not as long as Gobert but he's elite at covering ground like him and has elite timing. With the direction the NBA is headed, I love Mobley as a defensive prospect.
Measurables: 90
19
7'0
215
7'4 wingspan
9'0 standing reach
Functional Athleticism: 92
Top 5 in speed running the floor amongst bigs in this draft
Great verticality
Agile and quick feet
Lacks strength
General Thoughts:
Out of all the modern day, young unicorn bigs Mobley is entering the league the most complete player of them all. I expect Mobley to enter the league as an immediate plus on both ends floor, which is typically not the case with young bigs. I think Mobley will have a tougher time becoming a dominant force on offense than defense, but I believe he will become elite on both sides of the ball. Mobley has a combination of length, mobility, and IQ which should lead to him being a dominant force on the defensive side of the ball. He will struggle against likes of Embiid, Jokic, Valanciunus, and strong bigs that can score inside off of isolation for his first few years in the league. He is already so good at rotating, playing help, and PnR defense (drop coverage, switching, hard hedge) that he's going to be a huge benefit to his team 90%+ of the time on defense. His PnR defense versatility may be his best defensive attribute. He should be able to cover guards and wings off of switches as well as any big in the league. Mobley is great at putting himself in a position to be able to rebound the ball even when he has to play help defense, which is an extraordinarily rare skill. Most young bigs will look to over help to try and swat a shot into the third row of the stands. Mobley on the other hand will help just enough to contest or alter a shot and but not so much that he can't recover to his man to stop a lob attempt, pocket pass, or put-back on a missed shot. He consistently makes winning plays that are well beyond his years. His understanding of how to maximize his length in order to coverage as much ground as possible is astounding. Guard and wing defenders will love playing alongside Mobley knowing that he's their last line of defense. One thing to keep an eye on is if Mobley is a true defensive leader. It's one thing to be in the right spot on defense and have great IQ and ability, but in order to be a truly elite rim protector you have to constantly be barking at other players and yelling out coverages. I'm not sure how vocal Mobley is, and there will be a significant learning curve in this regard when adjusting to NBA basketball. Mobley will also be forced to come out of the paint a lot more than he did in college. USC ran a solid amount of zone allowing Mobley to hang out around the basket a large amount of the time. Coaches will attempt to force Mobley out of the paint and try to his ability to defend guards and wings against him. Regardless, Mobley will be fun to watch and very effective on defense right out of the gate and I'd bet on him being in the DPOY conversation during the peak years of his career. Offensively, Mobley is also very skilled in multiple areas. He's a great lob threat, and has great touch around the rim and on his jumper. He can score in just about every way, except he struggles to put it on the floor a bit. I do not expect Mobley to ever be elite in isolation, but he should be a very good shooter for his size and very good as a roller and popper in PnR. He will be an overall plus on offense as he can space the floor and knows how to pass. His IQ on both ends along with his mobility, length, and athleticism makes Mobley one of the most enticing bigs to come out of the draft in recent history. Mobley's unpredictability and comfort playing the game make him so fun to watch. Mobley will grab a rebound and bring up the floor on a semi-regular basis, and plays like a guard in transition. Mobley is a great passer, and he is a playmaker in so many different areas. Mobley threw lobs in transition, passed out of double teams, made entry passes to the post, and much more in his one year at USC. He just has an amazing feel for the game and it looks like it comes slow to him, which is something that I don't know I've ever seen for this type of prospect. Keep an eye for Mobley to have sequences like a blocked a shot, grab the ball, make an outlet pass, run the floor, receive the ball as the trailer, pump fake and blow by a closeout, draw the help the defender, and then dump the ball off to a cutter for an easy dunk. His feel for the game paired with length, athleticism, talent, and skill make him a special prospect who would go #1 overall in most drafts. My main concern with Mobley is how his body holds up with NBA physicality and how much usage he can handle. I expect Mobley to contribute right away but I don't think he can be a playoffs team's best player for at least a few years (which is perfectly fine). Mobley's fit in Houston will probably take a few seasons to really materialize, as I don't think his fit next to Christian Wood is seamless as others do. I like the idea of a KPJ/Mobley PnR, but Houston still has a long way to go in building a proper team around Mobley. The good news is they have plenty of time as Mobley is need of NBA reps prior to that process becoming truly urgent. Mobley's ability to stay grounded on the perimeter at an elite level is going to start a trend that will alter the center position in the NBA. Next draft features Yannick Nzosa, and the following draft features Victor Wembanaya who both share this unique and revolutionary characteristic. This is such an important trait because you can run basically any type of defensive coverage, and have an elite big without having to play drop coverage.
