Brothers reunited in NBA after playing high school, college basketball together
— BROOKLYN, NY – They played basketball together in youth leagues, in high school, on showcase teams, and in college. Now, Evan and Isaiah Mobley will continue their unique storyline by playing together as professional basketball players. On Thursday, June 23, Isaiah Mobley was selected as the No. 49 pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round of the 2022 NBA draft.
The former USC Trojan forward continues his family’s legacy at the next level. The 6-foot-10-inch, 240-pound forward, will be the third Mobley to play in the NBA. Isaiah and Evan’s father, Eric Mobley, played three seasons in the NBA after he was selected by the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round (18th pick overall) of the 1994 NBA draft. His brother Evan, a fellow USC Trojan, went third overall in the 2021 NBA Draft as a lottery pick to the Cleveland Cavaliers and is now in the running for the NBA’s Rookie of the Year title.
Isaiah, who flirted with the draft waters after the 2021 season, headed back to school and improved his stock and now his exit will leave a huge hole in the Trojan’s frontcourt as he was USC’s leading scorer and rebounder from 2021. His departure also marks the end of an era of Mobley-dominated basketball at the University of Southern California.
“These past three years have been amazing,” Mobley said in a picture posted to his Twitter account announcing his decision. “I’ve had experiences that I’ll never forget, played with teammates that have become brothers (well, one brother that became a teammate), and I’ve done it all in front of the best fans in the country.”
Another stat that ended for USC was their streak of Trojan players getting selected in the first round of the NBA draft. The last three years netted a first-round selection from USC, with Kevin Porter Jr. (30th overall), Onyeka Okongwu (sixth), and Evan Mobley (third), in the last three NBA drafts, but Isaiah Mobley is not disappointed…since now he is back with his brother in Cleveland. Isaiah Mobley helped the Trojans to another NCAA Tournament appearance, but unfortunately, they lost to the Miami Hurricanes in the first round. Still, Mobley averaged a team-high 14.2 points per game and a team-high 8.2 rebounds for Andy Enfield/s group. He was USC’s best player in 2022 after Evan was the team’s best player in 2021.
Isaiah had this to say online after being selected, “Mom, Dad, and Evan thank you for your conditional love and support. Thank you to my extended family and friends. All of you mean the world to me. Lastly, to my teammates and coaches, I truly appreciate every moment we’ve shared – the highs, the lows and everything in between have helped me become the player and person I am today.”
Isaiah and Evan join a short list of brothers who have played together on the same team in the NBA, and an even shorter list of brothers who played on the same college team, and in the NBA. Brother duos like Tyler and Ben Hansbrough who found themselves playing together on the Indiana Pacers during the 2012-13 season; Stephen and Seth Curry who got to share a court, even if it was just for a preseason in 2013; Goran and Zoran Dragic, who played together with the Phoenix Suns during the 2014-15 season; and Dominique and Gerald Wilkins, who played for the Orlando Magic in 1999, are just a few of the names also on that list.
The newly drafted Mobley now heads to Ohio and will try to earn a bench role and give the Cavs the depth they lacked last year, when injuries — including his brother Evans health problems — got in the way of the Cavs’ plans. The future is bright for Isaiah, who has a situation in which he is set up to thrive. He doesn’t have to text or call Evan for advice. He will be able to learn from him in practice and on team plane flights. It is a situation in which he can soak up knowledge more quickly and easily.
Basketball fans everywhere should love this outcome as it is one of the top feel-good stories of the 2022 NBA draft.
JP Raineri can be reached by email at sports@reedermedia.com.
