CLEVELAND, Ohio — On a crisp Thursday night in downtown Cleveland, the Vault Lounge at Metropolitan at the 9 hummed with anticipation as something new was about to take shape.
Before the first guest stepped in brimming with excitement to take pictures with their favorite Cavalier, before the silent auction buzzed with bids on once-in-a-lifetime experiences, before the room filled with teammates and community leaders, Evan Mobley stood quietly against a backdrop, subtly turning his head from side to side, taking it all in.
It was the beginning of the Mobley Family Foundation.
It was his first gala and first major step into a new chapter of what Mobley hopes will become a lifelong commitment to Cleveland.
“I’m really excited just to share this experience with my family that’s here, all my team that’s going to come, and everyone that was really involved in making this happen,” Mobley said, beaming with pride.
His parents, Eric and Nicol, had flown in for it. His teammates were filing in. A silent auction stretched along the walls with items handpicked for the occasion.
The Inaugural Beyond the Game Gala was a window into Mobley’s upbringing and the ethos that molded him into one of the NBA’s most grounded young stars.
His new Foundation’s four pillars are mental health, physical health, financial literacy and academic growth, which reflect his roots.
“My mom being an educator, my dad being a coach. It all encompasses [how] I grew up,” Mobley said about the foundation. “It’s part of my core values. I just want to share that with everyone and all the kids that are in need, especially in Cleveland. Because Cleveland has done so much for me already.
“My core values are just being genuine and honest to myself and to the people around me. I feel like that’s how my parents always raised me. They’ve instilled that since I was a child, and I just want to be able to pay respect to them by showing that to other people.”
Isaiah Mobley, who now plays professionally in Turkey, wasn’t able to be in person at the event, but he called his brother before the event. Their parents were radiating throughout the evening. And the foundation itself was built around memories of a childhood spent opening their home to others.
“We had foster kids growing up and also had a foreign exchange student,” Mobley said. “We always welcomed people into our family and tried to make their situation better. That’s just how I grew up. And I just want to extend that to Cleveland.”
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The night featured a cocktail reception with dishes curated by the award-winning Metropolitan at the 9 culinary team, followed by a three-course dinner, a Pop-a-Shot station with Mobley, and silent and live auctions — all to support the Mobley Family Foundation’s Holiday Shopping program for Cleveland foster youth this December.
“This is my way of giving back,” Mobley said. “Last year, I did the foster care Christmas sale, and we’re gonna do another one coming up this year. That’s going to be even more exciting. It’s going to be bigger and better. I’m just excited to get this going.”
In his five seasons with the Cavaliers, Mobley has already hosted a growing list of community events. And the new foundation will only help grow the resources he has at his disposal in the Cleveland community.
“I really want this to get really big, honestly. That’s the main goal,” Mobley said. “But we’re just going to take it day by day, kid by kid, and just help as many people as we can. As the years go on, as it gets bigger, we have a lot of things planned and in place that we’re going to get to. I think in 2026, we have a scholarship program coming out. So just as it gets bigger, there’s gonna be more and more.”
Even as he navigates the pressure of being the franchise’s future cornerstone, Thursday night showed a different side of the young star. Mobley escaped from the skeptics for one night and was just a 24-year-old with the poise of someone who has been preparing for this moment his entire life. Because in many ways, he has.
With loved ones near, teammates ready to celebrate and his foundation now a reality, Mobley opened his world to Cleveland and invited the city to share in his vision.
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