Rudy Gobert has heard all of the talk.
He’s heard both the praise and ridicule. He’s heard how he’s the greatest big man of the decade and the most overrated “star” in the league. He’s heard he’s a regular season champ because of his defensive ability and a postseason chump due to his defensive limitability.
Gobert just has one simple message now that he’s heard it all.
“I don’t care what people say. … It doesn’t bother me because I know me,” he said.
“Putting up for my country, for my team— it was a cool experience.”
Relive Rudy’s All-Star Weekend
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 27, 2022
For some unknown explanation, fellow NBA players, media members, and fans constantly feel the need to take unprompted shots at the 9th year big man. Despite three awards for defensive player of the year (tied for second-most all-time), the four-time all-NBA center has been the subject of disrespect as some still question his ability to play in the league.
“Whatever,” Gobert quips when asked.
This season alone, Gobert has warded off shots from Minnesota’s Pat Beverley and Anthony Edwards, multiple media members, and most recently, Golden State’s Draymond Green — one of the top defenders in the league.
Exactly one week ago, Green was in discussion as an analyst for the all-star game when Gobert and himself were mentioned in the same sentence by the TNT crew.
“You keep mentioning me in the same sentence with him. … We’re not alike,” Green said.
“You’re not like Rudy Gobert?” Kenny Smith asked.
“Nah, we ain’t nothing alike,” Green responded instantly, appearing disgusted at the comparison.
Gobert did what he’s done so many times in his career when asked about the discussion — he took the high road.
“I saw it. … It’s just noise to me,” Gobert responded when asked a few days later. “If anything, when people keep talking about you, if they’re talking about you in some way, it means you’re doing something right.”
But rather than just doing the talking off the court, Gobert backed up his words where it mattered most — and where respect is earned. He backed it up on the court the first chance he had.
#TakeNote | @rudygobert27 pic.twitter.com/KzjFw7NT2W
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 26, 2022
In Friday’s highly-contested game against Luka Doncic and the Mavericks, it was Gobert who not only led the Jazz to victory, he was the one who shut down the all-NBA guard.
One of the clutches players in the game, Doncic had just drilled a three-pointer that put the Mavericks up by two with three minutes to play. On the next possession for Dallas, they got the matchup they wanted when Gobert walked 23-feet from the rim and took on the task of defending Doncic one-on-one.
“That’s to our advantage,” Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said when asked about the scenario postgame. “For a big to be out on the perimeter, we believe that’s to our advantage to have Luka with the ball. He’s going to dictate what he gets.”
Unfortunately for Kidd and Doncic, it was Gobert who did the dictating.
Gobert helped shutdown Doncic for the remainder of the game, holding him to an 0-for-5 showing. On the four possessions where Gobert was the primary defender, Doncic missed three shots (including a Gobert block) and was forced to give the ball up once.
LOUD NOISES pic.twitter.com/OTZxwaET3D
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 26, 2022
It means that in the game’s biggest moments, it was the 7-foot big man who was Utah’s biggest liability on the perimeter getting the job done at an elite level. And yet, even after the win, not one player in Utah’s locker room seemed shocked at the outcome.
“They (Mavericks) wanted that isolation, so we just trusted in big fella and stayed home,” Donovan Mitchell said postgame. “He was able to force (Doncic) into tough shots, and when he did pass the ball, we were able to close out on our guys.”
“When he’s switching, he’s as good as anybody standing in front of guards,” head coach Quin Snyder added of Gobert.
“Just fundamentally, I thought we were really focused tonight.”
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 26, 2022
In a span of five days, Gobert went from being called out by one of the game’s elite defenders to then doing something nobody in the league had been able to do — stop Doncic in the clutch. … Multiple times.
Still, when asked postgame about Green’s comments or the stops on Doncic, Gobert remained as stoic as ever.
“I’m just gonna keep trying to be the best Rudy I can be, on and off the court. … And for my team,” he said. “The more these people try to discredit what I do or what my team does, it just means we’re doing something right.”
While he and the Jazz refused to send a message with their words postgame, it’s safe to say the rest of the league received the one sent with their actions.
“If anything, the more noise, the harder it becomes to take these people seriously,” Gobert said. “When you’re great at what you do, the world will recognize you for who you are and what you do. … That’s my mindset.”
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