USC secures the nation's best, Evan Mobley
USC secured the commitment from the top-prospect within the 2020 class on Monday. Five-star center Evan Mobley, the son of Trojans’ assistant coach Eric Mobley, revealed one of the worst kept secrets within the industry by giving his verbal pledge to the Pac 12 program.
Mobley’s father, Eric, who is entering his second full year on staff at USC, discussed why his son chose the Trojans. “There is no better place to stay home, play in the number one market (Los Angeles), get an education from a high academic school and play in an up-tempo style of play,” the elder Mobley told Rivals.com.
While USC is known as a football school first, its basketball program has actually had greater success on the recruiting trail than its counterparts. Last year, Andy Enfield and his staff finished with the fifth best class in America which was partially to the credit of Mobley’s older brother, Isaiah Mobley, a five-star power forward, who is a freshman on its roster this upcoming season.
What Mobley brings to the floor is tremendous upside and potential. He is an elite rim protector that can guard near the basket and away from it. He sports soft touch and has begun to expand the range on his jumper to the perimeter. Comparisons to Chris Bosh and Kevin Garnett have been garnered. Strength gain and durability issues have arisen but the talent level only expands USC’s window for success, even if his older brother opts for the NBA after his lone season on campus this winter.
Mobley becomes the second consecutive top-ranked prospect to eschew the blue blood path and pick the local program. Last year, James Wiseman chose Memphis over a handful of national powers.
While Mobley’s decision was impacted by his father’s employment at USC, no longer are elite talents automatic enrollees at the more name brand programs but rather, have become intrigued by systems that accentuate their strengths and can allot the best path to the NBA.