Mobley named to Naismith Defensive Player of Year Watch List

USC freshman Evan Mobley was named to the Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Watch List on Tuesday.

The 7-footer was the only freshman and the only Pac-12 player named to the 15-player list. Just three of the 15 were underclassmen.

Mobley is averaging 16.5 points, 8.6 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game and his 44 blocked shots are tied for fifth-most in the country this season. He leads the entire Pac-12 in combined rebounds and blocks, at 129.

In 15 games this season, Mobley has registered multiple blocks in 13 of them–including back-to-back games of six blocks each–and has six double-digit rebound games.

According to a USC release, Mobley adds this Watch List nomination to others, including being named to the Wooden Award Midseason Watch List, the 2021 NABC Player of the Year Watch List, the 2021 Naismith Trophy Watch List, the 2021 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Watch List, being named to the 2020-21 Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Preseason Media All-Conference First Team and being a four-time selection as Pac-12 Freshman of the Week.