Evan Mobley returned to the Cleveland Cavaliers ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season with an incredible rush of expectations and hype. In the (very) early parts of the new campaign, the star big man just has not met the loftiest of those predictions in the slightest.
Many wanted to see Mobley make the leap to become the Cavaliers' best player for the championship formula in Cleveland to really work. There is still enough time for that to potentially be the case by year's end.
However, what is quickly becoming a distant afterthought were the dreams and aspirations of Mobley pushing himself into the MVP conversation.