Evan Mobley dunks over Antetokounmpo. 0: 24. The Cleveland Cavaliers hope that a two-man tandem will carry them into the future. The pick-and-roll is executed to perfect in the first quarter of the game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The 7-footer goes racing toward the rim with both Carter and the other player focused on Mitchell after Mobley gave him an edge over Carter. As he heads toward the basket, a bounce pass splits the defenders and gives him a boost. The last obstacle he had to overcome was Antetokounmpo. The 21-year-old got the better of the two-timeMVP. Antetokounmpo tried to help by jumping, but by the time he jumped, Mobley was throwing down a two-handed dunk. The Bucks and Antetokounmpo won both of their games by 15 points each, despite the early advantage that the Cleveland team had. Mitchell said that they haven't experienced something like that before. That's basketball. Despite losing their first two games of the season, the Cavaliers are off to a 15-9 start, good for third place in the Eastern Conference and the fourth best net rating in the NBA. The presence of Antetokounmpo is what makes the Bucks different. Milwaukee has an edge because of his evolution from a scrawny, little-known rookies to the league's best player, and Cleveland has a plan for how to use him. The player who would win two awards and end the Bucks' 50-year title drought was not the one who came into the league. Before he became one of the best players of his generation, he was an 18-year-old fresh out of Greece who had undergone one of the most radical body transformations the NBA has ever seen. The message was clear after the first meeting between Antetokounmpo and Mobley. The transformation that you can make and the impact that it has on your game is what J.B. Bickerstaff said. It was a chance for him to look ahead. Bickerstaff didn't want to put too much pressure on the man. He didn't set the expectation that Mobley would become an All-Star starter. He was just establishing Antetokounmpo as the prototype for the modern NBA player and urging Mobley to use him as a template for a player with a similar skill set and body type. Bickerstaff said thatMobley has a lot of respect for the players that are great in this game and he wants to be better than them. He respects their journey and is willing to take things from them. He is very proud of being himself. He doesn't want to be the next person, he wants to be the next one. He is willing to exceed their commitment so that he can be the best that he can be. Antetokounmpo acknowledges that the mission for the Cavs is more complicated than just saying "Go be like Giannis". My size doesn't allow me to move in a certain way. He said that he tries to perfect it as much as possible. The way I move is big. I've seen a lot of people who had to be physical. They were very physical. Antetokounmpo had a long way to go before he became a household name. He was the top recruit in the class of 2020 and the top pick in the draft. In his first season, he averaged 15 points per game and was a runner-up in the voting for rookies of the year. It was more likely that Antetokounmpo would not become a star. He came into the NBA as a relative unknown after playing in Greece's second division. Mobley didn't know who Antetokounmpo was until he was a teenager. It's Wednesday.
Celtics-Suns, 10 p.m.
Hawks-Knicks, 7:30 p.m.
On Friday.
Lakers-76ers, 7:30 p.m.
Bucks-Mavericks, 10 p.m.
It's all times Eastern.
In his second year in the NBA, Antetokounmpo was still a work in progress. He was a part of a 41-win Bucks squad at the age of 20. His transformation from 190 pounds to 245 pounds had barely begun.
Antetokounmpo said he had to get stronger in order to survive. Whenever I went to the gym, I was going to focus on it. As I got older, I could see that my body was not the same as it was when I was younger. It didn't happen in a day or two.
Although he was focused on forging his own path, Mobley continued to study video of Antetokounmpo and other big men across the league. Antetokounmpo's transformation is still the model.
Dean Wade said that the young man has a long way to go, but he is working hard. He is a sponge. He absorbs anything you say. It's crazy to watch him grow from last year to this year. He put on a lot of body fat.
It's hard to practice against him because he's all over the place. He can be in the lane and still shoot outside the lane. It's insane. He's the person.
You can get exclusive access to more than 3000 premium articles a year.
• VanHaaren: Ranking top CFB transfers »
• Doolittle: Grading Verlander to NYM »
• Wyshynski: Early NHL awards watch »
• Rittenberg: Predicting bowl scores »
More ESPN+ content »
In the league, Mobley is listed at 215 pounds. He admitted that it was difficult to keep the extra weight off once the games started.
It takes a while for your body to get to where you want it to, but you have to stick with it. The photos of Antetokounmpo as a rookies were more telling of the transition. You aren't going to be a certain way the entire time. If you work at it and stick with it, you can get to where you want to go.
Antetokounmpo was at this point in his career in his second season. In 22 games, Mobley has averages of 15 points, 9.1 rebound and 2.3 assists. He's one of the anchor's of the defense with Allen but often is still trying to find his way on an offense that runs through its All-Star backcourt.
The man he's using as inspiration doesn't have a ceiling on what the future will hold for him.
Antetokounmpo said it was a matter of time before he became one of the best power forwards in the league. The body is there with the skill set. It's up to him if he wants to be one of the best in the league.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
