For his entire NBA career, Rudy Gobert has copped heavy criticism from his peers and NBA media personalities alike and he’s spoken openly about the latest jab.
The Frenchman was voted the league’s most overrated player in a poll conducted by The Athletic, where the outlet got 142 players’ (almost a third of the league) votes.
But he doesn’t seem too deterred by the poll.
“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 told ESPN. “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.”I just think I’m just mostly misunderstood. I think I trigger a lot of these guys.”
Despite being voted most overrated, the Timberwolves big man is a heavy favorite to take out his fourth DPOY award.
Everyone from Draymond Green to Shaq has had something negative to say about Gobert this season.
The center used to let the outside noise get to him, but now he sees the criticism as “a form of respect.”
“But also, it’s the entertainment game,” Gobert said. “Most people are followers. They just follow what’s the common trend. What’s the common thing to laugh about?
“Now, unfortunately in this generation, it’s more about how much attention it is going to bring more than about the truth behind it. … So, yeah, I’m OK with living with that now.”
What the critics won’t tell you is that the Timberwolves are the league’s top-ranked defense, allowing just 108.2 points per 100 possessions.
The team’s defensive rating improves to 106.3 when Gobert is on the floor.
Although Gobert takes it all in his stride, his girlfriend wasn’t as forgiving, after she launched a scathing attack on her Instagram following the poll.
