Can Kenny Atkinson become the Evan Mobley whisperer? The Cavaliers’ success depends on it

Kenny Atkinson might look like the same head coach who took the Brooklyn Nets from irrelevance in 2016 to playoff contention in 2019, but after four seasons as an assistant, he’s evolved into something different.

Now leading the Cleveland Cavaliers, Atkinson brings a new perspective from his time with the Los Angeles Clippers and Golden State Warriors, carrying a resume that includes helping develop NBA champions and stars.

The Cavaliers, a franchise looking to unlock its full potential, have placed their championship hopes on Atkinson and the players he’s tasked with elevating.

Back in Brooklyn, it was D’Angelo Russell, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jarrett Allen, Caris LeVert, and Joe Harris under Atkinson’s watch. Now, in Cleveland, it’s a roster loaded with talent, headlined by superstar guard Donovan Mitchell and All-Star playmaker Darius Garland. Atkinson has also reunited with two of his former Brooklyn players, Allen and LeVert, but, the Cavaliers’ future hinges on the development guru’s ability to maximize the potential of their most critical piece — Evan Mobley.

Atkinson’s latest challenge? Fulfilling his prophecy as the Evan Mobley whisperer and unlocking the All-Star potential in the Cavaliers’ 6-11 forward/center and the third overall pick from the 2021 NBA Draft.

With Mobley already shooting a career-best 42.9% from three-point range and poised for his best scoring season in Year 4, Atkinson’s plan is clearly in motion — the very plan that secured him the Cleveland job.

“That was part of the allure of this job. He’s still a young player, developing player in this league,” Atkinson said ahead of tipoff against the Knicks on Monday. “And when I was in my interview process, I’d say that was 70 percent of my interview. How are we gonna use Evan? How are we gonna grow his game? Help him make the next step and help the team take the next step because he’s a big part of that.”

Atkinson’s path to Cleveland was winding.

After transforming the Nets from a 20-win team in 2016 to a 42-win team in 2018, Brooklyn made its blockbuster swing for the fences, signing Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. Durant’s injury kept him out for the season, and when the team underperformed, Atkinson was let go, with the organization eventually hiring Steve Nash as head coach. But for Atkinson, the departure came with a silver lining.

“It changed me. You know, I’m not totally [different], but different coach than I was in Brooklyn. You know, I learned a lot,” Atkinson reflected. “Obviously being a part of the championship team with the Warriors and being with Ty [Lue] with the Clippers, guys that have done it at the highest level.”

His time with the Warriors’ championship culture, working with players like Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson, and his season with Tyronn Lue and Kawhi Leonard with the Clippers, gave him valuable insights into what it takes to win at the highest level.

“So Steph, Draymond, Klay, Paul George, Kawhi. You learn so much from those guys,” Atkinson recalled. “It’s funny how things work out. You get fired. You’re like, ‘Oh man, what am I gonna do?’ And then it turns out to actually be — it’s kind of what I needed. I needed more exposure to championship cultures.”

Atkinson has also learned to let go of the things beyond his control, a lesson he didn’t grasp during his early days in Brooklyn.

“I think maybe sometimes not getting involved in all the other stuff, the personnel stuff. You want to do everything when you’re a young coach, you want to make sure every pick’s right. I would get mad at Summer League if someone didn’t guard someone or our team lost, and I just think as you get older, there’s things you’ve gotta let go,” Atkinson explained. “If you don’t let it go, I think you become a pain in the neck to the front office and you stress yourself out, so definitely more chill and letting stuff go. That’s the big one.”

With that newfound perspective, Atkinson is bringing elements from Steve Kerr’s Warriors offense and Lue’s strategic mindset to Cleveland. In fact, he even referenced Kerr during a film session with the Cavaliers ahead of their game against the Knicks on Monday.

“I won’t tell you the particular of it, but it was something strategic that I stole from him on offense. So there’s a strategic part,” Atkinson said. “We’ll run some of the Golden State split stuff. We’re not Golden State. I’m not saying that. We’ll definitely do that. From Ty, I learned — you know, Ty is always looking for the matchup every time down the court. Where’s my advantage? And I used to be all about principles, pace, and all that. But [Ty Lue] was phenomenal at running the right play to get the right guy involved on the other team. So those are just two examples. I have a thousand more. But those stand out.”

While Atkinson can pull from the greats, his current challenge lies in helping Mobley become one of them.

The Cavaliers’ success depends on the 22-year-old developing into an All-Star, and Atkinson is implementing the holistic development plan that he sold to the organization.

“I guess you could call it that — I guess it’s a challenge, cause it’s a little outside of his comfort zone — but on the other hand, he’s embracing it. I think he wants it. Sometimes at that age, he’s still trying to get his traction in this league and become an elite player in this league, you’re a little hesitant and your confidence might not be there,” Atkinson said. “I think that’s a huge job of a coach in this league, and I learned that from [Mike] D’Antoni. He made David Lee feel like he was Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. He had this ability: When a guy has that kind of talent, you just have to lift him up, and I think that’s what we’re trying to do — lift.

“We just want him to be a more complete player, and there’s a development piece that goes into it. We have a real plan for him. Started from my interview process with all his off-court work, what he’s doing in the weight room, off-court habits, all that stuff. It’s really a holistic approach, and I really believe in it. I’m thrilled so far. I think he’s already taken steps strategically. We’re doing some different things with him. I don’t know about those off-the-dribble threes, we’re still trying to figure out if we’re going to give the green light to do that, but it looks pretty good to me. We’ll see if he can continue to run.”