Evan Mobley named to first team All-Rookie

Cleveland Cavaliers big man Evan Mobley, as expected, has made the NBA’s All-Rookie first team.

Per a release from the league, Mobley joins Toronto Raptors forward (and Rookie of the Year) Scottie Barnes, Detroit Pistons forward Cade Cunningham, Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green and Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner on the first team.

New Orleans Pelicans forward Herb Jones, Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu, Indiana Pacers guard Chris Duarte, Denver Nuggets guard Bones Hyland and Oklahoma City Thunder guard Josh Giddey made up the the second team.

Mobley, Barnes and Cunningham all were unanimous first-team picks. To specifically highlight Mobley, this is well-deserved. He impacted winning at a high level from day one — especially on the defense — and was an integral part of a Cavs team that massively improved despite ultimately losing in the play-in tournament.

For the year, Mobley averaged 15 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. Had he not missed time at the end of the year with an injury, Mobley very well could have beaten out Barnes for Rookie of the Year. There’s certainly a case he deserved it anyway, as good as Barnes was.

He is the first Cavaliers rookie to make the All-Rookie first team since Dion Waiters in 2012-13; Kyrie Irving made it the year before that as well in his Rookie of the Year campaign. Since then, Collin Sexton and Isaac Okoro made All-Rookie second teams in their respective rookie campaigns.

Later this week, the NBA’s All-NBA teams, All-Defensive teams and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion will be announced.