Rudy Gobert silences critics and earns respect in the process

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Rudy Gobert had one of the most spectacular performance of any Nba Play in this postseason, but it was not enough to stop criticism.

While Shaquille O’Neal gave a 7-foot-1 compliment, he simulated vomiting during the TNT show last Wednesday. “I never thought I would say these words coming out of my mouth: Rudy Gobert dominates.”

Gobert ended with 27 points and 24 rebounds in Minnesota Timberwolves‘Victory near Los Angeles Lakers in the 5th game of her first league playoff series, ironically became the first player from O’Neal in the 2004 finals, which ended with at least 25 points, 20 rebounds and 75 percent of shooting in a play-off match.

Gobert was informed of O’Neal’s compliment while sitting next to the cabinet after the game. When asked why current and former players seem to enjoy him, he shrugged.

“That’s a good question,” Gobert told Fox Sports. “I suppose all I can do is to be the best Rudy Gobert to be and try to win the championship. There’s my focus. And finally, one day, respect will be there.”

Although he is a four-time defensive player of the year, a triple all-star and a four-time All-Nba Choice, Gobert is a lightning for criticism. Will soon face one of its greatest frauds in Draymond Green In the second round of the playoffs, with Timberwolves hosted Golden State Warriors In game 1 on Tuesday.

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Gobertov and Green’s Chippiness can be traced until 2019, when Gobert broke out while talking to reporters about not making an All-Star team. His reaction became viral and became meme. Green, a series of three direct appearances of the All-Star, broke that season, he tweeted: “I guess I would cry too.”

Three years later, Gobert shot in Green after hitting the then team of Jordan Poole during the Warriors exercise in October 2022, tweeting: “Uncertainty is always loud.”

Six months later, Green shot back after Gobert hit a former teammate Kyle Anderson After Anderson called him “B — H” in the regular Timberwolves final. Green has been tweaking the same four words: “Insecurity is always loud.”

Things came to the head last season when the quarrel between the former Warriors wardrobe broke out Klay Thompson and Timberwolves forward Jaden McDanielsGiven that Green is inserted into action by putting Gobert in a muffle. Green was thrown out and suspended five games. Less than a month later, after Green hit Phoenix Suns Center Jusuf Nurkic in the face, Gobert took out, saying ESPN“I have empathy for him. You see someone who is not well on the inside and suffers.”

Green avenged the latest postseason while serving as a panelist on TNT “” Within the NBA “, repeatedly criticizing Gobert’s defensive effort against Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic During their series in the second round. Timberwolves fans answered Heckling Green after the 2nd finals of the Western Conference at the Target Center, singing “Draymond Shit” while he was in the air. Replied Green: “Rudy is shit, not me.”

Timberwolves then took an attitude against Green’s mocking comments about Gobert, as well as Karl-Anthony Townsrefusing to appear in an interview after the game on “Inside The NBA” after the game 4, according to Athletic.

Gobert, who never won the championship, and Green, who won four titles, are two of the best defenders in the NBA in the last decade after winning the combined five awards for the defense player of the year during that period. So, perhaps their rocky relationship can partially break up to competition between two defensive greats.

But Green is far from the only player who is not a fan of Gobert, who played for Utah from 2013-2022, before he traded in Minnesota in July 2022.

Goberta was named the most prized player in the survey league last season Athletic. This season was the winner of that shameful title, behind Indiana Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton.

But why doesn’t he like Gobert?

“I actually asked that question,” La Clippers forward Nicolas Batum Said Fox Sports of his teammate in the French national team.

“He was on the winning team for the last six, seven years. Utah was seed No. 1 (2021), the playoffs every year. Minnesota was top -notch (6) seeds in the last two, three years, the finals of the conference last year. I mean, what do you want? Indeed, I do not know that they are reporting.

When it comes to Gobert, there are two moments that are easily precise when trying to follow his story of the origin of the villain, starting with the pouring of emotions in 2019.

“I think that moment, more than anything, defines how people see me in America against who I really am,” Gobert wrote in an essay for the first person for Tribune players Last April, adding that he did not cry because he felt dreamy, but because his mother conveyed the news while she cried, reminding him of all the victims she gave when he was a child.

Then, in March 2020, Gobert jokingly touched microphones and cassettes during his first socially distanced media availability. Days later, he became the first NBA player to test positively to the Coid-19, which made the league temporarily suspend the season. At the time, his former jazz teammate, Donovan Mitchell, who also tested the virus positively, admitted that he was frustrated by Gobert’s behavior.

In court, O’Neal felt like Gobert did not justify the five -year contract of $ 205 million, which he signed in December 2020, which at the time made him the highest paid center in NBA history.

Last summer O’Neal called Gobert the worst NBA players of all time on the complex “Goat conversation“Podcast with his son, Myles O’neal.

“If you sign a contract for $ 250 million, show me $ 250 million,” O’Neal said about Gobert, who scored an average of 14 points and 12.9 rebounds last season, making 12 points and 10.9 rebounds in his latest campaign. “There is a reason why I walk funny, why I can’t turn my neck and why I can’t do it. Because I played for about $ 120 million. You have guys like him who is the system.

For Gobert, the game 5 was an opportunity to help silence his critics.

Two of the biggest superstar in the league in LeBron James and Luka Doncic They fought to stay up to their season, but Gobert was the best player on the field.

He helped Timberwolves surpass the Lakers, 54-37, including more offensive jumps (nine) from the entire Lakers team (eight). Gobert also made 12 of his 15 shots – including astounding eight crales – at night when Timberwolves shot in a terrible 7 out of 47 outside the arch.

For Gobert, this performance was a redemptive moment after his slow start of the series. (He only had 14 points through the first four games.)

Not to mention, he also avenged Doncic, whose step 3 over Gobert in the last moments of the game of the 2 finals of the 2024 Conference 2024. He was persecuted throughout the season. Dončev Mavericks He continued to eliminate Timberwolves in five games before being traded in Los Angeles in February.

Gobert did not hesitate when he asked what his mindset was in the elimination game against Lakers.

“I’m just trying to go and dominate,” Gobert told Fox Sports. “At the beginning of the series, the first four games, I put a lot of energy outside, but it was not translated into points or jumps. I tried to continue to do what I was doing, I was still relentless. I knew that all the work I had done over time. And I expected to break them at some point.”

For Gobert, playing antihero against the Darlings League was a sigh of relief for a much malignant great man.

“Tonight was a dragon” Anthony Edwards said after the match 5.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch called him a “highest level winner,” adding that the criticism he receives is overshadowed by the respect he collects from his teammates.

“Don’t listen to the outside noise,” Finch said. “We don’t listen to the outer noise. And no one is happier for Rudy than his teammates, especially Anthony, (who) everyone on the floor knows that it was Rudy’s night and no one was around to stop him.”

Gobert is not quite sure why he rubs players in the wrong way.

At first he wondered if he was an outsider because he was French. He admitted that he had made a mistake during his 12-season career, but realized that he could not control how others were watching him.

“That’s why he’s so great,” Batum told Fox Sports. “I’m very impressed because he found a way to get over it. He doesn’t listen to people and do his job. In fact, many people can’t do it.”

Gobert knows that there is the only way to get the respect for which it craves.

Should win the championship.

So, he pours himself into achieving that goal, knowing that he could change his narrative.

“I’ve been underdog all my life,” Gobert told Fox Sports. “Ever since I started playing basketball, I’ve always won my expectations. So, I’ll continue to do it.”

Melissa Rohlin is NBA writer for Fox Sports. Earlier covered the league for Sports Illustrated, Los Angeles Times, News Group for Bay Area and San Antonio Express-nws. Follow her on Twitter @Melisarohlin.

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