Evan Mobley is a lock for the NBA All-Star Game

Mobley is leaving no room for doubt.

Evan Mobley’s breakout season has made the Cleveland Cavaliers the best team in basketball and should result in a no-brainer decision for All-Star voters. More than that, he’s showing he is one of the best two-way bigs in the league.

We’ve known for years that Mobley can spearhead an elite defense. He did so the moment he stepped onto an NBA floor. But Mobley’s offensive progression has lagged behind — leaving many people frustrated with the lack of substantial growth. After years where seemingly nothing happened, we’ve had a month where everything happened at once.

Mobley matched his career-high for three-pointers in a game with three against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday night. Just two days later, Mobley would shatter that with five triples in the first quarter versus Charlotte. He’s already nailed 22 total three-pointers this season — leaving him one shy of a personal best and it’s not even Christmas.

The rapid development of Mobley’s jumper is proof of a few things. First, none of this actually happened overnight. Mobley’s shot mechanics had been improving each season, and he made a significant jump as a free throw shooter last season (4% increase). Free throw percentage is an indicator for three-point shooting — and this year, Mobley has made another leap from 71.9% to 79.6%. The signs of growth had been there all along so there’s no reason to assume this is a fluke.

Mobley’s potential was brewing under the surface. New head coach Kenny Atkinson had the task of bringing that to light. The Cavaliers have made Mobley’s development a focal point, with an organizational effort to push him out of his comfort zone. Atkinson’s influence, along with Mobley’s subtle progression in recent years, has led to the perfect storm this season.

Mobley is averaging a career-high 21.6 points per 36 minutes. His usage rate has soared to 21.7% and he’s more efficient than ever, recording 127.2 points per 100 shot attempts — the best mark of his career. His increased role in the offense is paying dividends and it’s clear there’s even more room for him to grow.

The awkward moments have been inevitable. Asking a 23-year-old seven-footer to handle the ball in pick-and-roll is sure to go wrong a few times. Still, Mobley has already been the PNR ball-handler twice as often as the previous season — and the Cavaliers are generating 0.93 points per possession (64th percentile) compared to 0.73 (24th percentile) the year before.

You can keep running down the list. Elite rim finisher? Check. Processing speed as a playmaker? It can be polished, but check. And of course, Mobley is one of the best defenders on the planet — something that is overlooked when so much attention is placed on his offensive game.

The Cavaliers decided this was the season they would treat Mobley like a potential All-Star. Putting the ball into his hands and allowing him to sink or swim. Through the first months of the season, it’s impossible to argue he’s looked like anything but a bonafide star.