Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was one of the glaring omissions from this year’s All-Star rosters. In a recent chat with the media, the 3x Defensive Player of the Year gave his simple response to not making the cut and told the media that he’ll be looking back on this moment when he makes the Hall of Fame.
“At my hall of fame speech, I’ll be able to joke about how many times I got to enjoy some extra vacation because I got snubbed for the All-Star game,” said Gobert via Dane Moore.
No matter how you feel about Rudy as a person or player, he’s a deserving All-Star this year on a Timberwolves team that leads the Western Conference. Through 48 games so far, he’s averaging 13.6 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game on 64% shooting. Rudy has been the best defensive player it the league once again and is on track to win his fourth career Defensive Player of the Year award. His arrival has transformed the Timberwolves into an elite defensive team and yet he still failed to secure enough votes to be named an All-Star.
Sadly, for Gobert, this isn’t actually anything new. Famously, the big man cried when he missed the cut in 2019 and was ridiculed by both fans and his fellow players. Rudy went on to make three straight All-Star appearances from 2020-2022 but he was once again left off the final roster in 2023, his very first season with the Wolves. At 31 years old, it remains to be seen if Gobert will ever get that honor again but he’s showing no signs of slowing down this season and he’s playing with a new chip on his shoulder now.
Rudy Gobert Has Something To Prove With The Timberwolves
Rudy Gobert has taken on a different role with the Minnesota Timberwolves but the doubts remain that he’s a guy who can deliver when it matters and that’s probably why he gets no respect for All-Star weekend. During his days with the Utah Jazz, Gobert was great throughout the regular season, but he and Donovan Mitchell were never able to get over the hump and they flamed out in the playoffs time and time again. Then there was the quarantine in 2020, when Gobert became a public outcast and destroyed his relationship with teammates over the careless spread of the COVID-19 virus. His reputation never fully recovered after that and he’s still trying to help people forget about that brutal mistake. Finally, with the Timberwolves, things are starting to look up for Rudy after a turbulent first season in Minnesota.
This summer, Gobert is sure to call himself a 4x DPOY and he will join the history books as one of the few players to reach that mark. But until the star big man leads his team to the depths of the playoff bracket, nobody will take the Timberwolves seriously as a title threat and he may never get the respect he deserves. This year, he has the chance to change his reputation and stick it to the hater since and for all. But whether he wins it or not, Gobert’s legacy as a Hall of Famer is already set and his place as one of the best interior defenders in modern NBA history cannot be questioned.
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