BASKETBALL – There is only one winner. Frenchman Rudy Gobert, pivot of the Minnesota Timberwolves, has been designated “best defender of the year”, equaling the league record by winning the trophy for the fourth time, the NBA announced this Tuesday, May 8. He thus beats Victor Wembanyama, the other Frenchman in the running, named rookie of the year the day before.
NBA: Victor Wembanyama named “rookie of the year”, a first for a Frenchman
Aged 31, Gobert had already received the award three times in 2018, 2019 and 2021, but this is a first in the jersey of Minnesota, which he joined in 2022 from the Utah Jazz .
Gobert thus equals the absolute record of four titles for best defensive player of the year won by Ben Wallace of Detroit (2002, 2003, 2005, 2006) and Dikembe Mutombo (1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001) with Denver, Atlanta and Philadelphia .
The French giant (2.16 m) received 72 votes from a panel of members of the media to win his fourth title of best defender in seven years ahead of his compatriot Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old prodigy of the San Antonio Spurs. Gobert averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.3 assists per game this season for the Timberwolves.
For Gobert, the secret to this success lay in building a group of players determined to dominate defensively. “It’s great teamwork”he congratulated himself. “We love getting individual awards and all those things, it’s great, but we can’t do it alone and I have a lot of gratitude to all my teammates who believe in me, who allow me to do what I do getting better every day and trying to change the culture here in Minnesota. »
Gobert will be at the Paris Olympics
“It’s great for the guys to get involved and come every night with the same mindset. We wanted to be a defensive team and that’s what we managed to do.”he added.
Gobert is a key part of the iron defense of the Wolves, the NBA team that has allowed the lowest number of points per game to their opponents this season.
After finishing in 3rd place in the Western Conference at the end of the regular season, Minnesota impressed during the play-offs. Victorious over Phoenix in the first round (4-0), the Wolves lead 2-0 against defending champion Denver after two successes in Colorado.
Olympic vice-champion in 2021 in Tokyo, Gobert is also a member of the French team which is aiming for gold at the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 – August 11).
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2024-05-08 04:52:25
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