Cavs' Evan Mobley gets high praise from Eastern Conference rival

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Since they were selected one after the other in the 2021 NBA Draft, Evan Mobley, who went third to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Scottie Barnes, who went fourth to the Toronto Raptors, will always be linked. In their rookie seasons, Mobley and Barnes were neck and neck for Rookie of the Year, with the Raptors forward eventually edging the Cavs big man out. The award race only fueled the budding rivalry between players; it’s must-see TV whenever they meet.

"It's always fun to go against another competitor," said Mobley about facing Barnes earlier in the season. "He's a great player."

When facing Barnes, Mobley has averaged 16.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. Barnes, meanwhile, has averaged 16.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.7 assists when going blow-for-blow against the Cavs big man.

While Barnes has secured individual accolades like Rookie of the Year over Mobley, he also has NBA All-Star honors, something Mobley is waiting to achieve. However, Mobley does have All-Defensive First Team honors under his belt, and, more importantly, his Cavs own an 8-4 record against the Raptors and his draft-class rival.

However, as time passed, the rivalry evolved into mutual respect. Sure, every time both players meet, it’ll still be a battle. However, how Barnes and Mobley view one another isn’t from a place of animosity. Instead, after four years in the league, both study one another and lead the revolution as power forwards.

Cavs star Evan Mobley and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes are setting the NBA standard

In their short time in the NBA, Mobley and Barnes have become the template for a modern, do-it-all big man. With their ability to defend multiple positions, handle the basketball, shoot from the perimeter, and still do everyday big-man things, every team wants a player like Mobley or Barnes.

"He's great," said Barnes about Mobley. "He's really talented offensively. He has handles for his size, can dribble, and can shoot the ball. He does so many things really well for his size. That just makes him super special."

Unfortunately, for those NBA teams, the availability of players that have truly earned the unicorn moniker is few and far between. Other than Mobley and Barnes, one can make a compelling argument for Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama, or Boston’s Jayson Tatum.

Otherwise, the NBA is waiting to see who got next. But considering how young Mobley and Barnes are, they might be torchbearers who move at their own pace. But considering how special either player is, either forward eventually becomes the face of the league, which is bound to happen sooner or later.

"Usually, I do a pretty good job of seeing the future," Raptors head coach Darko Rajaković said. "I think Scottie, in this league, he's going … to be averaging double-doubles. And I can see Scottie, a couple years from now … averaging (a) triple-double in this league."

But until either forward gets to that point, they’ll keep grinding through the 2024-25 campaign. Mobley and the Cavs are the best teams in the NBA, while Barnes and the Raptors are Eastern Conference bottom-feeders.

Hopefully, Barnes and Toronto can turn it around since a possible playoff series against Mobley and Cleveland would be legendary. While it wouldn’t be another chapter in their now-dead rivalry, it would be the beginning of a new saga where both can finally stake their claim as the future of the NBA.

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