NBA DRAFT

July 29, 2021

Evan Mobley

THE MODERATOR: If you could start out with an opening statement about what you'll bring to your new team.

EVAN MOBLEY: I'm just here to be the best player, best person I can be at the Cleveland Cavaliers. I'm here to show what I have, hopefully be Rookie of the Year, Rookie of the Month as many times as I can. That's what I'm trying to bring to the team.

Q. With the Cavs also having Jarrett Allen on their roster, what do you see as the fit between the two of you and what could you learn from him at the center position?

EVAN MOBLEY: Jarrett Allen is a great player. I feel like I can learn a lot from him. He's been in the league for a while, so me and him, I feel like we can definitely do damage in the league in this coming season.

Q. What were your thoughts and feelings when you heard your name called with the third pick? What was that moment like for you?

EVAN MOBLEY: I was in shock. Like, I really made it; like, I'm here. I've just got to continue what I'm doing, keep staying in the gym and keep getting better.

Q. What was going through your head today as you arrived here and just kind of seeing this all -- being in person but kind of realizing that it is your draft day? What was your thoughts and feelings about the day and kind of leading up to this moment?

EVAN MOBLEY: It was like a roller coaster. Sometimes I've got like this burst of excitement and stuff because I knew it was draft day, and then sometimes I was chilling. Most of the time, though, I was super excited, especially on the way over here, and then seeing the whole arena and everything, all the energy in the arena, it was crazy.

Q. I want to ask you, for anybody that wants to get familiar with your game, compare yourself to maybe an NBA player or a couple players. Who does your game resemble as far as that goes?

EVAN MOBLEY: A lot of people have been comparing me to Chris Bosh, Anthony Davis, Giannis, players like that. I definitely just see a good amount of similarities between all of those players. But I feel like I'm my own player and I have my own tendencies, which makes me unique.

Q. How do you plan on taking the Cleveland Cavaliers closer to that next championship? It's been a while.

EVAN MOBLEY: I'm just here to do my best, bring everything that I've got to this city, to the team, get to know everyone. I feel like we definitely can have a great year this next coming year.

Q. How did growing up alongside your brother, playing basketball with your brother, add to your motivation in playing the game?

EVAN MOBLEY: It added a lot of motivation. Me and him, we were both top players growing up. He would get his accolades, I would get mine. So it was just kind of like competition. It just motivated us more and more to keep getting better.

Q. With their young core of Darius Garland, Collin Sexton, Isaac Okoro at the moment, what do you see from them that you can add -- what do you bring that you can add to that young core?

EVAN MOBLEY: Just another young player that can run with them. A lot of them are young athletes, fast. I'm fast. I'm an athlete. So I feel like that whole entire lineup, also with Jarrett Allen, we can definitely shock a lot of teams and get out and run a lot.

Q. The name of the game is obviously versatility, but when people look at you as being a 7-footer they're probably thinking center. What is it about your skill set that you feel isn't apt to being a 7-footer and what you can show at the pro level that maybe you weren't able to at USC?

EVAN MOBLEY: I feel like my guard skills and ball handling, a lot of 7-footers don't have, as well as my shooting. Those few attributes are some attributes that most 7-footers don't have and more guards I would say have. Those skills I definitely feel like are some strong attributes that not a lot of big guys such as me have.

Q. Your potential assists were a number that a lot of us have noticed while studying your game, while getting to know you better in the Cleveland media. Being able to play with Darius Garland and Collin Sexton, do you think you're going to be able to show off your playmaking ability at the next level?

EVAN MOBLEY: Yeah, definitely. Especially with the floor opened up even more, I definitely feel like I can show off my playmaking ability even more, as well as with those shooters. They're going to knock them down. So I'm going to just be trying to make the best plays possible.

Q. With Cleveland hosting All-Star this year, is that a goal of yours as a rookie to make the All-Star team?

EVAN MOBLEY: Yeah, it's definitely a goal. I'm trying to get everything.

Q. When you look back at your freshman year at USC and just the growth that you had in multiple areas, where did you see yourself grow the most that is the most beneficial coming into the league?

EVAN MOBLEY: I feel like I was more of a dominant player. On that team I had to be more of a scorer, more a focal point on the team, so I feel like that whole dynamic developed with me very well during that whole entire season.

Q. Also with your dad as an assistant coach at USC, obviously watching you play basketball growing up when you were younger and being a coach for you at USC and him being here tonight, what is that relationship like between the two of you and how special is it for him to be here with you through this whole process?

EVAN MOBLEY: It's great because he's been there since day one all the way up, coaching me. Now he's coaching me at USC, and then now he's here on draft night. He's been with me the whole night, and it's really special.