NCAA Basketball: 10 best players from state of California of last decade

1. Evan Mobley – USC

When you consider the entire body of work from his only collegiate basketball season, it’s really hard to put anybody above what Mobley accomplished at USC. A 7’0 big man, Mobley joined his brother on the Trojans in 2020, having been one of the top prospects in the entire nation. He may have left for the NBA after that first season, but Mobley made sure the Trojans and the country wouldn’t soon forget him.

Statistically, his numbers were impressive, averaging 16.4 points and 8.7 rebounds on a talented Trojans squad. But what he did for this team was more than just making shots and grabbing boards, he helped lead USC to an unexpected run to the Elite Eight, with a double-double in a second-round upset win over Kansas in late March.

Mobley took home all of the awards after his freshman season, winning Pac-12 Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Rookie of the Year, all while being named a Second Team All-American. He helped lead the Trojans into the Tournament’s second weekend for the first time in over a decade and was a force on the court. He was drafted with the third pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers and unsurprisingly had a fantastic rookie season in the NBA as well.

At long last, our deep dive into the ten best players from the state of California is completed; did you agree with the rankings or was there someone out of place?