Earlier this month, former USC men's basketball star Evan Mobley became the youngest player in NBA history to make the All-Defensive First Team.
The Cleveland Cavaliers big man also became the first ever Trojan to earn the honor, which is significant because the NBA has released the teams dating back to the 1968–69 season.
Mobley has gotten off to a fantastic start in his two-year NBA career. He made the All-Rookie First Team in 2022 and helped lead the Cavs to the playoffs this season.
With the way Mobley's career has gone so far, it's not crazy to think he could end up as one of the best NBA player USC has ever produced.
Could he even become the best? Let's take a look.
WHO'S AHEAD OF HIM?
The top tier of NBA players who dawned the cardinal and gold include DeMar DeRozan, Paul Westphal, Gus Williams and Bill Sharman.
Nikola Vucevic, Cliff Robinson, John Block, Nick Young and Taj Gibson all put together nice NBA careers, which right now are better than Mobley's, but Mobley has a higher 'NBA greatness' ceiling than that group.
To get into the upper echelon will be challenging for Mobley, but he's certainly shown he has what it takes.
Out of that first group, only DeRozan hasn't won an NBA title. Sharman, who is probably the USC NBA GOAT, won four NBA championships, made four All-NBA first teams and eight NBA All-Star teams. He was the only USC player to make the NBA 75th Anniversary Team back in 2021.
Westphal won one NBA title, made three All-NBA first teams and five All-Star teams. Williams won one NBA title, made one All-NBA first team and two All-Star teams. DeRozan made two All-NBA second teams and six All-Star games.
Sharman's number is retired by both USC and the Boston Celtics. Westphal's number is retired by both USC and the Phoenix Suns and Williams' number is retired by both USC and the Seattle Sonics. DeRozan's number is also retired by USC.
It's likely that USC will retire Mobley's number next, and by the time that occurs, expect him to have inched closer to joining the Trojans' all-time NBA fab four.
He's that good.
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