The Defensive Player of the Year favorite has frequently found himself the subject of barbs and ridicule from star players, fans -- even Hall of Famers. The question is why.
It had been a difficult and stressful year for Gobert. He had hoped to spend his entire career with thebut was traded to Minnesota when the Jazz opted to rebuild, jump-starting that process by receiving five first-round picks in the deal. The massive return, normally reserved for superstar scorers, resulted in heavy scrutiny toward the 7-foot-1 defensive anchor.for much of the season. Minnesota went 42-40, needing the second play-in game to secure the Western Conference's eighth seed.
Gobert spent 64 hours by himself in a small cabin in the pitch black -- no phones, no books, no distractions -- all alone with his thoughts and the sounds of nature. He viewed the interior of the cabin before the lights were turned off, so Gobert knew where the bed, the sink and the toilet were, but he had to find them by feel for the three days.
And for nearly all of this 11-year NBA career, that reality for Gobert has often been near-relentless derision. "In their eyes, I'm more like the odd guy from France that's winning a lot of awards, and it can bother people," Gobert said."I impact the games in a very unique way. It's maybe not as cool or not as flashy as some other guys, so it's sometimes harder for them to respect that.The racial epithets he frequently heard as a child raised by his white, single mom in France stung and confused him.
"Sorry," Gobert said, looking down. He bit his quivering lip and shook his head. He covered his face with his hand, turned away from the cameras and leaned against the fabric team backdrop before waving his hand and walking away, too upset to continue. Green taking public jabs at Gobert -- and Gobert taking a verbal or social media swipe in return -- has become a recurring theme. Green has had plenty of company among current and former players who have criticized or poked fun at Gobert, but the outspoken four-time NBA champion has been the most vicious and visible, firing away from his platforms as a TNT analyst and host of a popular podcast.
Those skeptics often point to Gobert's playoff exits as proof that his defensive dominance is overblown. The top-seeded Jazz's collapse after going up 2-0 over theThe Clippers averaged 125 points while winning the final four games to eliminate the Jazz, playing primarily small-ball lineups so they could space the floor and mitigate Gobert's presence as a rim protector.
"Most people are followers," Gobert said."They just follow what's the common trend. What's the common thing to laugh about? "They're having fun," Gobert said."It's not that serious at the end of the day. It was an air ball. It was a funny-looking air ball. But my focus was on winning."Such moments might have annoyed or frustrated Gobert in the past, but he now reminds himself of lessons he learned during his darkness retreat, when for long stretches, he just allowed his mind to be still.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Christian Braun's Dunk Over Rudy Gobert Ignites Nuggets' WinChristian Braun's left-handed dunk over Rudy Gobert sparks the Denver Nuggets' 116-107 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves, shaking up the Western Conference standings.
Read more »
'Frustrating for sure': Neither Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert play in Utah this seasonThe two former Jazz stars made appearances in Salt Lake City but never in a playing capacity this season.
Read more »
Why is Japan changing its ban on exporting lethal weapons, and why is it so controversial?Japan’s Cabinet OK’d a plan to sell future next-generation fighter jets to other countries on Tuesday, its latest step away from the pacifist principles the country adopted at the end of World War II
Read more »
Why is Japan changing its ban on exporting lethal weapons, and why is it so controversial?Japan’s Cabinet OK’d a plan to sell future next-generation fighter jets to other countries on Tuesday, its latest step away from the pacifist principles the country adopted at the end of World War II.
Read more »
Why is Japan changing its ban on exporting lethal weapons, and why is it so controversial?Japan’s Cabinet OK’d a plan to sell future next-generation fighter jets to other countries on Tuesday, its latest step away from the pacifist principles the country adopted at the end of World War II.
Read more »
Why is Japan changing its ban on exporting lethal weapons, and why is it so controversial?Japan’s Cabinet OK’d a plan to sell future next-generation fighter jets to other countries on Tuesday, its latest step away from the pacifist principles the country adopted at the end of World War II.
Read more »