Rudy Gobert, congratulations on your Minnesota Timberwolves’ 125:115 victory over the Miami Heat and your personal double-double (13 points/12 rebounds). What was the deciding factor for this success?
RUDY GOBERT: First of all, thank you very much for the congratulations. I think our defense laid the foundation for this win. Everyone did their job really well – especially Donte DiVincenzo, who put an incredible amount of pressure on the ball and made things much easier for us. When we were on the offensive, we patiently let the ball run and always found the free teammate. This made it difficult for Miami to control us.
Let’s move on from the current game in Miami. If you take a look at the season so far in the Western Conference: In your opinion, is it even stronger and more balanced than last season?
GOBERT: Well, the West has been tough since I’ve been in the league (laughs). To be honest, I don’t know why the performance density is higher there than in the East or why most of the top players want to play in the West. But if you look at the teams, a number of them are already extremely strong. I would even say that of the teams ranked one through ten, anyone can beat anyone. Of course, it’s a really good challenge for us because all the games are important. With a view to the play-offs, this is basically perfect preparation.
Keyword play-offs: You and the Timberwolves reached the conference finals in the last two seasons, but were defeated by Denver and Oklahoma City. Do you think your team is already ready for the next step this season?
GOBERT: I think that’s us! We definitely have the right puzzle pieces for something really big. In order for this to succeed, we certainly have to continue to improve and refine our mindset and our interaction on the court. As for our squad: With Donte DiVincenzo we have a player who has already won a championship with the Milwaukee Bucks. We also have a very good mix of experienced veterans and young players, all of whom are extremely hungry for their first title. Our task now has to be to get ourselves into a condition during the long main round that allows us to beat any opponent in the play-offs. I don’t think any opponent would like to play against us there anyway.
You are undoubtedly one of the experienced veterans, as you are now 33 years old and have been in the NBA since 2013. During this period, you have already been named the league’s best defender four times. What does such a personal honor mean to you?
GOBERT: Quite a lot! Receiving such an award means that you are one of the best basketball players in the world. And that makes me very proud, but also humble. I still try to live up to this responsibility in every single game. As soon as I step on the court, I really do everything I can to support my team as much as possible so we can be successful. That is the most important thing for me.
As is well known, every basketball player has his or her own identity. How long did it take for you to find your identity or become the player you are today?
GOBERT: That’s a very good question. I would say it started for me before I came to the NBA. For me, success with my team has always been my top priority. To achieve this, I always did everything I could when I was a child. When I was 17 or 18 years old, I suddenly realized how much strength and energy I actually have. As I got older, I became bigger, stronger and smarter. Ultimately, my big motivation was that I wanted to become the best player in the world. This gave me and my further development a huge boost.
Photo: Dirk Sing
If you take a look at the NBA, you’ll notice that a total of 19 Frenchmen are hunting for baskets there this season. What are the reasons that your home country can boast so many professionals in the best basketball league in the world?
GOBERT: This large number is truly magnificent. I think that we have had a lot of talented boys in our homeland in the past. Due to the fact that more and more French people have gradually made it to the NBA, these children and young people are seeing that there is actually a way for them to get here if they work hard and with discipline. I can still remember that in earlier times it was a sensation when French players were even selected in the draft. It is now almost normal for these to be drawn in first, second or fifth place. That’s crazy. At this point you really have to praise the people who do a first-class job at the grassroots level – be it in the clubs or academies! A lot has happened in France in this regard.
Looking to the near future, should Germany worry that France will dominate European basketball in the next three to five years?
GOBERT: We have the talent for it, yes! But now it’s up to us to make the most of this and bring it to the court. European basketball has developed incredibly in recent years and has become really strong in numerous countries. I am convinced that we have the potential to bring a world championship title or an Olympic gold medal to France. But as I said, it is entirely up to us to make the best possible use of these opportunities.
NBA: Interview Rudy Gobert (nur online)
