Rudy Gobert, the center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, has often been criticized for his outstanding performance. During the 2024 NBA playoffs series, Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic mocked him after scoring against him. Recently, Shaquille O’Neal called Gobert “the worst player in the NBA.”
Rudy Gobert recently shared his thoughts about the ongoing discussions regarding his worthiness for the Defensive Player of the Year award. In an interview with Sportskeeda, Gobert explained why he firmly believes he deserves the DPOY awards.
“Just look at the numbers, Media manipulation and perception is one thing. But look at who is in the top five with guarding on switches last year or in isos. Look at the numbers. Numbers don’t lie,” Gobert said to Sportskeeda.
Gobert won his first Defensive Player of the Year award in the 2017-18 season, his second in the 2018-19 season, and his third in the 2020-21 season. The Timberwolves center won his fourth DPOY in the most recent NBA season, which led to heavy criticism.
Gobert Calls Out Critics to Back Their Claims with Evidence
Gobert played a crucial role in leading his team to the playoffs in the 2023-24 NBA season. The 32-year-old averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in 76 games during the 2023-24 season. The Timberwolves won the round 1 and 2 series but lost to the Mavericks in the conference finals.
During the conference finals series against the Mavericks, Doncic had some heated moments with Gobert. The Slovenian basketball player scored the game-winning shot over Gobert in Game 2 and trash-talked him about his DPOY titles.
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During a recent interview with Sportskeeda, Gobert criticized all the negative comments he had received. The Timberwolves star challenged his haters to provide numbers and data to support their claims.
“A lot of people discredit some of the awards with Defensive Player of the Year. That’s great. But when you do that, make sure you come with the receipts,” Gobert said.
The NBA preseason is underway and Rudy Gobert will have the opportunity to address the criticism surrounding his DPOY awards through his on-court performances.
