3 prospects the Rockets should consider in the NBA Draft

Why the Houston Rockets should select Evan Mobley second overall

If the Houston Rockets end up with the second pick of the draft, they should target Evan Mobley. Despite already having a 6’10” big with Christian Wood, Houston could pair up the two with Wood playing at power forward to form the next Twin Tower pairing.

Evan Mobley is listed as 7’0” and is a freshman at USC. Mobley is playing 34 minutes per game and has game averages of 16.4 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game.

It might seem risky to draft Mobley with Wood’s presence on the court, however with his ability to stretch the floor, the pairing could work for the franchise.

Pros

Mobley is an interesting talent and unlike James Wiseman, who was drafted last year at number two, he is far more athletic and faster. Among the centers that are in the draft class, the gap between Mobley and the next best big is quite wide.

An NBA player that Mobley gets compared to is Anthony Davis, given his ability to do many things on the floor. Unlike your traditional centers, Mobley can create his own offense.

Whether it is being a threat on the perimeter or in the low post, Mobley is a problem for his opponent, as his ability to beat defenders off the dribble and read defenses, along with having the touch to make shots with a hand in his face makes him an incredible prospect. With many NBA teams electing to go smaller during crucial moments of the game, Mobley’s size, skillset and athleticism can allow him to still matchup against different defensive schemes.

Imagine if Christian Wood and Mobley are on the floor together. Spacing will not be an issue, as both players are versatile offensively and can score in a multitude of ways that the league hasn’t seen before from a pair of bigs. Can Houston recreate Olajuwon and Sampson if they elect to draft Evan Mobley?

Cons

The biggest weakness that many NBA spectators and analysts will point out regarding Mobley is his weight. He is extremely slender for a 7’0 big man.

Wood, who has struggled this season down low at times because of his size, weighs in at 214 pounds while being 6’10”. Mobley is listed at 210 pounds and this can be an issue for him when being targeted by opposing bigs in the paint.

Another issue is Mobley’s rebounding. With playing heavy minutes each game and only averaging 8.5 per contest, Mobley will need to work on this aspect of his game once he goes pro.

Next: 1st Overall Pick