In addition to the circus caused by Kevin Durant’s desire to leave, another event animated our last weekend: the transfer of Rudy Gobert, sent by Utah to the Wolves. A franchise with which the Frenchman has had a certain history since last season following some rather cheeky statements from Minnesota players. Back to an episode quite au gratin, as we like them.
As we know, big mouths are numerous in the NBA and the art of trashtalking is still present, for our greatest happiness. But opening your mouth often means compromising your credibility, and some bad words can lead to rather funny situations a few months later. We still have the perfect example with this trade from Rudy Gobert, who landed at Wolves. At first glance, everything is fine since the pivot arrives in a team full of potential and he will form one of the best rackets in the League on paper, accompanied by Karl-Anthony Towns. A particularly complementary interior sector between an offensively gifted Charles-Antoine and our national Rudy, almost unanimously recognized as an elite defender. Almost? Yes, because there are still players in the League to doubt that. And bad luck, one of these guys will be… Gobert’s teammate next season: it’s Anthony Edwards, one of the expected leaders of the Wolves for the next few years. A little reminder of this episode, which may still be present in Rudy’s head: we are in December 2021 and the Jazz are visiting Minnesota. But there will not really be a match between the two teams, since Utah will crush the young Wolves in front of their audience (136-104). But as if the humiliation of losing 32 points at home wasn’t enough, the full-back will add another layer:
Anthony Edwards said the best rim protector in the league is Kristaps Porzingis. On Rudy Gobert, Ant was honest …
‘Anytime I go once morest Porzingis, I don’t get no layups. I don’t get why we mightn’t finish on Rudy Gobert. He don’t put no fear in my heart. I don’t know why.”
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) December 9, 2021
“For me, the best circle protector in the NBA is Kristaps Porzingis. I can’t get a single lay-up once morest him. I don’t understand why we mightn’t attack Rudy Gobert. He doesn’t scare me at all. »
– Anthony Edwards
Yes yes, the young rear has just compared the defense of the guy from Saint-Quentin to that of Kristaps Porzingis. Coming out of a humiliation of more than 30 points, we say to ourselves that the confidence of some has no limits. And we will pass on the second statement of this evening, signed by a Pat Beverley decidedly more concentrated in front of the microphones than on the floors, he who criticized Rudy Gobert for not systematically defending the best opposing player. We will not dwell on the case of the leader, sent to Salt Lake City once morest Gobert. On the other hand, we know a certain Anthony who would surely prefer to forget these words. As well as having been criticized quite a bit for this misplaced statement, he will now face Rudy’s average defense all year in training.. If we imagine that the Frenchman will do what it takes to ensure that everything goes well in his new team, he will surely want to send a message to his young teammate from the first weeks. Come on kid, it’s part of learning, but we have new proof that you have to choose your moment well to put on the show in front of the microphones.
Rudy Gobert at Wolves is also the story of a little confusion by the media last season. The Frenchman took for his rank from Pat Beverley and Anthony Edwards, but left the Target Center whistling with the win in the pocket. Carve one of the best players from a team that has just put you 30 at home, we have already seen a better idea. In any case, we can’t wait to attend the reunion between Rudy and Ant-Man in a few weeks.
Source : Twitter @ChristopherHine
