TORONTO — LeVelle Moten immediately recognized Evan Mobley’s exceptional talent. Upon entering Team USA’s training camp for the 2019 Under-19 World Cup, even as Mobley recovered from a knee injury, his performance spoke volumes.
“I thought, ‘That’s what Wilt (Chamberlain) must have looked like playing,'” remarked Moten, then an assistant coach for the team, reflecting on the Colorado Springs camp. “He was just that dominant.”
Scottie Barnes’ true brilliance, however, became fully apparent to Moten only during the tournament’s championship game. Moten had crafted a defensive strategy that specifically aimed to prevent Mali’s Abdoul Coulibaly from driving left. When the starting players failed to execute this instruction, Barnes, who had volunteered to come off the bench during training camp, was given the task. Barnes, perhaps too eager, initially allowed Coulibaly to drive left, though he did force a turnover by knocking the ball out of bounds.
“I shouted at Scottie, ‘Damn it, didn’t I tell you to make the kid go left?'” Moten recounted. “And Scottie responded, ‘Coach, don’t even sweat it, because this MFer isn’t going to score another point.’ He was talking to me—but he said it right in the boy’s face.”
Ultimately, the Americans secured the gold medal with a 14-point victory, winning Barnes’ 29 minutes on court by 27 points. Even on a roster featuring the first five selections of the 2021 NBA Draft, alongside Tyrese Haliburton, the extraordinary abilities of Mobley and Barnes were undeniable. It’s crucial to remember, as their careers continue to intertwine and they often seem to edge past one another — including in their current first-round series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Toronto Raptors — that these were highly touted prospects who stood out even among their All-Star-caliber peers. Their current position, slightly removed from the absolute apex of NBA power, underscores the immense talent required to reach the innermost circles of the league’s competitive and transactional landscape.
Despite their individual talents, neither player has been the central offensive engine in this ongoing series. Cleveland’s offense has primarily been orchestrated by guard Donovan Mitchell (who scored 62 points, including 8 three-pointers, in a recent game) and Darius Garland, whose efforts the Raptors have struggled to contain. Meanwhile, much of Cleveland’s defensive focus has been on limiting Brandon Ingram, rather than Barnes.
Nevertheless, Mobley has been a vital component in the Cavaliers establishing a 2-0 lead, with Game 3 scheduled for Thursday in Toronto. When the Raptors opted to bench their starting center Jakob Poeltl in favor of a smaller, switch-heavy lineup in the second half of Game 2, Mobley capitalized. He contributed 11 points in the third quarter alone, leveraging his size advantage to dismantle the Raptors’ aggressive and stifling defense. He currently averages 21 points on an impressive 77.3 percent shooting across the first two games.
Mobley’s regular season was periodically interrupted by calf strains, contributing to why the Cavaliers did not replicate their dominant 64-win performance from the previous year with another six-month stroll.
“They say development isn’t linear. It doesn’t just keep progressing like this,” Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson explained, gesturing an unhindered upward trajectory with his arm, before Game 2. “It doesn’t. There will be dips, and I believe Evan has navigated out of that slump and is visibly improving right before our eyes, and at the opportune moment.”
However, the Raptors refused to collapse in Game 2, with Barnes being the primary catalyst for their resilience. He scored 17 points in the second half and was instrumental in the Raptors’ increased success in pushing the pace in transition—a critical element if they hope to turn this series around. On multiple occasions, he aggressively attacked Mobley and fellow Cleveland big man Jarrett Allen, driving them deep into the paint for scores. This kind of forceful play is essential for an offense with limited options.
Barnes’ assist-to-turnover ratio of 12-to-9 has been less than ideal, highlighting areas for offseason improvement—either his ball-handling or his shooting must significantly progress. This also draws attention to the Raptors’ broader spacing limitations, which have been exacerbated by the absence of injured guard Immanuel Quickley.
Despite these individual challenges, both players have consistently demonstrated the immense potential they’ve possessed since entering the league. The question of whether they can become the central figures on championship-contending teams, however, remains distinct, and one that their respective franchises will navigate on differing timelines.
Their professional paths, beginning with the 2021 draft, have been remarkably parallel. Mobley was selected third overall, immediately followed by Barnes at fourth. Barnes narrowly beat Mobley for Rookie of the Year in one of the closest votes in the award’s history. While Cade Cunningham has perhaps surpassed both as the player from that draft around whom a team would ideally be built, Mobley and Barnes are undeniably strong foundations for any robust franchise. There have been periods where Barnes appeared to be the superior player and others where Mobley seemed to make a greater impact, but neither has definitively outshone the other long-term.
This is where the situation becomes complex. Barnes entered the league surrounded by seasoned veterans, joining the core of Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and OG Anunoby. Gradually, these players departed, prompting the Raptors to reconstruct their team more in Barnes’ frenetic and versatile mold.
While Barnes’ ascension to “the guy” in Toronto has been somewhat circuitous—he initially appeared to shy away from the off-court aspects of the role, and his on-court attributes lean more towards a Scottie Pippen than a Michael Jordan—his personality nonetheless projects as a clear centerpiece.
“Scottie was vocal. He was expressive. He possessed some of that leadership quality,” noted Bruce Weber, the veteran college coach who led that Under-19 team. “Sometimes, it needed a little tempering, but you prefer that. I always ask, ‘Do you want to deal with Tigger or Eeyore?’ You want Tigger on your team, because he brings energy and is constantly active. Successful players embody that energy. That’s why you knew he would be quite good.”
And Mobley?
“You knew when Scottie walked into the building,” Weber commented. “Evan, even at 6-10, 6-11, could quietly slip in, and you might not even realize he was there.”
Perhaps due to Mobley’s slightly more refined game, the Cavaliers opted to accelerate their team-building immediately after his rookie season, acquiring Donovan Mitchell via trade. At times, Mobley has appeared to be the perfect emerging co-star for Mitchell, a big man who expanded his offensive repertoire last year while also contending for Defensive Player of the Year.
This season, however, there has been some dissatisfaction regarding his development, particularly with a noticeable decline in his shooting efficiency compared to the previous two years. Cleveland’s commitment to Mitchell is so substantial that if the Cavaliers fail to reach the conference finals, one might speculate about their patience with Mobley’s progress, potentially leading them to trade him for a player more squarely in his prime. A certain player who has spent his career in Wisconsin could theoretically become available.
Such a possibility, though likely remote, speaks more to Cleveland’s urgency to maximize Mitchell’s prime window than any significant shortcomings on Mobley’s part.
“I believe he improves every single year,” Barnes said of Mobley before the series began. “I think he’s matured physically. His strength when driving the ball, his ability to create his own shot, and defensively, he possesses all the essential traits. He has exceptionally long arms, he’s athletic, and he can effectively switch across all five positions. He’s outstanding.”
Meanwhile, even though Barnes earned an All-Star nod in 2024, this season truly marked his breakout. His defensive impact reached new heights, positioning him for his first All-Defense selection—he placed fifth in Defensive Player of the Year voting. With other players acquired to take on a larger share of the half-court offense that Barnes is less suited to manage, his boundless energy in pushing the tempo, distributing the ball, and creating plays on defense invigorated the Raptors’ unexpected 46-win season.
And yet, with Barnes at the center of the team, questions persist. How does one construct a championship-caliber roster when your best player isn’t your most efficient or prolific scorer? This presents a complex strategic challenge that the Raptors are far from resolving. It was evident throughout this past season and continues to be exposed in the current series.
“He’s an exceptionally good passer,” Atkinson observed. “I believe he ranks in the 96th percentile for potential assists. You always have to be alert. When he drives, he’s adept at finding open shooters. I’m genuinely impressed by the significant leap he made this year.”
None of this implies the Raptors are considering trading Barnes anytime soon. More realistically, through successive transactions, they will aim to build a roster that complements him, though this path will be challenging given the Raptors’ existing financial obligations. The team-building missteps surrounding him, notably the contract extension granted to Poeltl before this season that won’t commence until 2027-28, raise the possibility that the Raptors could stagnate before truly maximizing Barnes’ abilities. These errors are not Barnes’ fault, but they underscore the inherent difficulty in constructing a team around him.
Cleveland’s long-term relationship with Mobley is slightly more ambiguous only due to Mitchell’s presence and the elevated expectations. Still, players of Mobley’s caliber typically remain with their teams. The sensible prediction is that Mobley will stay in Ohio for many years to come.
“I’d like to say they surprised me, but neither of them has,” Moten stated. “Evan is exactly who I envisioned he would be. Scottie is exactly who I envisioned he would be. I believed, before they reached 28 years old, they would both be First Team All-NBA players. And they are certainly on that trajectory.”
Perhaps. Both players will celebrate their 25th birthdays this summer. Theoretically, they still have considerable development ahead. However, in an NBA climate increasingly favoring shorter competitive windows, teams may not always have the luxury of time to fully realize their young players’ potential—even when those players are as gifted as Barnes or Mobley. Talented young players today face unprecedented pressure to reach their ceilings quickly.