Progression or regression? Analyzing Evan Mobley’s mixed season
Mobley is rapidly changing the narrative on his season.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 01: Evan Mobley #4 of the Cleveland Cavaliers looks on during the second half against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on March 01, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jordan Bank/Getty Images) | Getty Images Expectations are the quickest path to disappointment.
The Cleveland Cavaliers have learned that lesson the hard way. Evan Mobley entered the 2025-26 NBA season with a bar that might have been too high to clear. Offseason buzz and previous success led to Mobley becoming a dark-horse contender for MVP.
An award that’s exclusively won by the very best in the league. It turns out Mobley is not that caliber of player. At least not yet.
He’s nowhere near the MVP race and won’t even repeat as an All-NBA member this season. Projecting him to make that astronomical leap has backfired — and perhaps dampened what has otherwise been another season of steady progression from the 24-year-old star. Look at it this way.
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