NBA Draft: Pro comparisons for the top 30 prospects in 2021

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 21: Cade Cunningham #2 of the Oklahoma State Cowboys reacts against the Oregon State Beavers during the second half in the second round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Hinkle Fieldhouse on March 21, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

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Evan Mobley (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

2021 NBA Draft: 2. Evan Mobley compares to Anthony Davis

Coming out of the University of Kentucky, Anthony Davis was a defensive monster. He was able to contest everything at the rim and guards hated seeing him switched out on the perimeter. Offensively though, scoring was a problem. Fast forward to today, and Davis can’t be stopped with the ball in his hands and he’s still a defensive nightmare.

USC’s Evan Mobley looks almost as good as Davis on the defensive side of the ball in college but his offensive game is far more advanced when they were the same age. There’s nothing Mobley can’t do when he has the rock. He’s best when he’s picking and rolling to the basket. At 7’0”, 210 pounds, he may seem a bit light but he has no problem doing damage on the inside.

Mobley isn’t a huge 3-point threat but with his 30% connection rate, he’s more than capable of knocking them down. His lone season in college saw him leave the collegiate stage with a litany of awards. He was the Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year.

Unlike Davis, who took a few years before he turned into the full package, expect Mobley to be a force on both sides of the ball from the very beginning. In a few years, he’ll battle Davis for Defensive Player of the Year honors.