Evan Mobley became the first player in Cavs history to be named NBA Defensive Player of the Year, and the fifth youngest in league history.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward-center Evan Mobley is the recipient of the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy as the 2024-25 Kia NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

In a season where the clear-cut choice for NBA Defensive Player of the Year didn’t appear on any ballots, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Evan Mobley was recognized Thursday as the league’s top defender following a solid statistical campaign made stronger by the visual of watching him anchor his team’s defense.