Cavaliers' Evan Mobley wins 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year

Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley wins 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Evan Mobley has added to his stellar 2024-25 campaign.

The Cleveland Cavaliers star on Thursday was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, his first win in the category.

Mobley beat out Golden State Warriors star forward Draymond Green and Atlanta Hawks wing Dyson Daniels.

The No. 3 overall pick by Cleveland in 2021, Mobley put up averages of 18.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.6 blocks and 0.9 steals across 71 games, helping anchor Cleveland on both sides of the ball as the team surged to the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed at 64-18.

Mobley, a San Diego native and USC product, also earned his first All-Star nod this season due to his efforts. He was previously named to the All-Defensive First Team in 2023, with another nod presumably looming.

The 6-foot-11 big man is also set to see a significant pay raise due to his win. After signing a rookie extension last July worth $224 million, language in his contract detailed that the sum would increase to $269 million should he win the award.

Fellow Cleveland star teammates Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland were among the players congratulating Mobley for the achievement.

Mobley was also a top-three finalist for the award in 2023. Minnesota Timberwolves Rudy Gobert won the award last season, the fourth of his career.

San Antonio Spurs sophomore phenom Victor Wembanyama was widely seen as the favorite to claim the award this year after a second-place rookie finish, but a season-ending blood clot diagnosis in February saw him get shut down.

Green, a one-time Defensive Player of the Year winner in 2017, was another top candidate after playing a key role in Golden State’s resurgence toward the back half of the season. Daniels, the No. 8 pick in 2022, has yet to win a major award but was named the steals leader for this season.