An awards sweep
USC’s Mobley is Pac-12 player, defensive player and freshman of the year in men’s basketball.
Evan Mobley is in rarefied air.
USC’s 7-foot freshman center became the first player to ever win Pac-12 player of the year, freshman of the year and defensive player of the year in the same season. He was joined by his head coach, Andy Enfield, who won the Pac-12’s coach of the year award.
The awards were voted on by the Pac-12’s head coaches.
Mobley is just the second player from a Power Five conference to win all three awards in the same season, joining Kentucky’s Anthony Davis in 2011-12. He is only the second freshman to win the Pac-12’s defensive player of the year award, joining Oregon State’s Gary Payton in 1987.
Prior to Mobley, only three players had won Pac-12 player of the year and freshman of the year in the same season: Arizona’s Deandre Ayton in 2018, UCLA’s Kevin Love in 2008 and Cal’s Shareef Abdur-Rahim in 1996.
“He exceeded expectations. He’s done everything we’ve asked as a staff, and he’s dedicated himself to helping the team win,” Enfield said. “It’s really a great experience as a coaching staff to coach someone that’s so team-oriented with that level of talent.”
Also named to the Pac-12’s all-defense and all-freshman teams, Mobley is the fourth Trojan to win conference player of the year honors and the first since Sam Clancy in 2002. He is USC’s second freshman of the year, joining Harold Miner in 1990, and third defensive player of the year.
Mobley finished seventh in the conference in points per game (16.1) while leading the league in rebounding (8.6) and blocked shots (2.9). The former Rancho Christian standout had 10 double-doubles on the season and also impacted the game with his ability to pass out of double-teams and initiate the offense after a defensive rebound.
He also was willing to give whatever USC needed on a given night, 13 times playing at least 35 minutes in a game. His career night came in January against Cal, a 76-68 win in which Mobley scored 17 of his 25 points in the second half.
Enfield won his first Pac12 coach of the year trophy in his eight seasons at USC. The Trojans were picked to finish sixth in the conference, but Enfield led a group of three returning players and eight newcomers to a 21-6 record overall and 15-5 mark in the Pac-12, missing on the program’s first conference title in 35 years only on the final day of the regular season.
Enfield was also named the Pac-12 coach of the year by the Associated Press on Tuesday, while Mobley was named newcomer of the year. Oregon’s Chris Duarte was named the conference’s player of the year by the AP.
“This award is always, in mind, is something that is shared by a staff because they deserve this more than I do,” Enfield said, thanking staff mainstays Jason Hart, Chris Capko and Kurtis Shultz as well as three-year assistant Eric Mobley. “The stability, the evaluation of talent, the way they develop players and they’re just terrific assistant coaches.”
The Trojans, who finished the regular season ranked No. 24 by the AP, began the season 18-3, their best start since 1974. The Enfieldcoached team finished 12th nationally in opponent field goal percentage and second in the Pac-12 in scoring defense.
USC’s All-Pac-12 honors were rounded out by guard Tahj Eaddy’s selection to the all-conference second team by the Pac-12’s coaches. The Santa Clara transfer was USC’s second-leading scorer with 13.8 points per game.