Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert: ‘A lot of people celebrate my failures’

Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert believes NBA fans enjoy watching him struggle. Although, since the team is 16-19 and ranks 11th in the Western Conference standings, maybe a number of basketball fans just want to see him play better.

Following Minnesota’s 119-118 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, the 10-year veteran was asked when he first began noticing fans booing him. “Once I started to have success, when I started winning defensive player of the year, All-NBA, being an All-Star,” Gobert responded.

According to a few NBA betting sites, the Timberwolves possess the 18th-best odds to win the championship in 2023. Check out which sportsbooks show greater odds for the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.

“A lot of people celebrate my failures,” Minnesota’s Rudy Gobert tells @TaniaGanguli. “It’s kind of like a mark of respect for me just to have people that just wait until I do something wrong or until my teams start losing.” https://t.co/zNNHzLMKVx

— NYT Sports (@NYTSports) December 28, 2022

“When my team, when we started winning like 50 games and stuff,” continued Gobert. “The people on social media are always the loudest. When I go outside, it’s usually all the interactions are positive.

Through 30 starts this season, Gobert is averaging 13.8 points, 12 rebounds, 0.9 assists, and 1.3 blocks. This is the first time since his rookie season the three-time All-Star is averaging less than one assist per game. Plus, the center is shooting 66.7% from the field, the lowest since his 2018-19 season with the Utah Jazz.

Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert says people are rooting for him to fail

“A lot of people celebrate my failures,” added Gobert. “It’s kind of like a mark of respect for me just to have people that just wait until I do something wrong or until my teams start losing. Then they become really, really loud.

“And when my teams do well it’s quiet again. You know, I kind of embrace that it’s part of the external noise that comes with all the success that we’ve had in Utah and over the last few years in my career.”

Except, the Timberwolves are not playing well right now. While they rank 11th in scoring, averaging 114.7 points per game, the team also ranks 22nd in points allowed per contest (115.7). It’s important not to confuse overambitious with blind hatred.

FUN FACT:

Rudy Gobert (29 games played) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (31 games played) both have 34 total blocks this season 🤔 pic.twitter.com/gATMNUwDuG

— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) December 28, 2022

Fans know what Gobert is capable of. He proved it throughout the course of his career with the Jazz. Last season, the center averaged a career-high 14.7 rebounds per game. Now, in Minnesota’s 113-110 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year was outplayed by rookie center Orlando Robinson.

Timberwolves coach Chris Finch benched the 30-year-old during the fourth quarter. Naz Reid replaced him. Reid finished with 21 points, 11 boards, and two assists in 29 minutes played. Most fans want to see Rudy Gobert play better, especially after seeing the team give away five first-round draft picks to acquire the center.