Wolves star Rudy Gobert believes he hasn’t won more DPOY awards due to voter fatigue

Rudy Gobert has already won three Defensive Player of the Year awards, so he pretty much knows what it takes to earn it. The Wolves big man is now in his 11th NBA season, and he believes he deserved more than three of these prestigious accolades.

“I believe there were two years I deserved to win it that I didn’t get it,” the player said recently at the Minnesota facility, where he’s in his second campaign. “I don’t want to take away anything from anybody else, but I think one was because the voters were maybe tired of me.”

The seven-footer admitted that he pays particular attention when the ballots don’t go his way. The French center is convinced that after winning it in 2018, 2019 and 2021, he’s been suffering from voter fatigue.

“It’s a human nature thing – it happens with a lot of guys, like LeBron for MVP. People get used to seeing what you do every day, but the numbers are still on your side. Then there’s the narrative,” he explained.

However, when we think about Gobert’s fourth DPOY award, there’s much more than just voter fatigue here. Before he ties Hall of Famers Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo for most ever, he must continue this season’s dominance, as the Timberwolves are allowing 108.7 points per 100 possessions and have the best defense in the league.

This is mostly due to coach Chris Finch’s famous Twin Towers approach, which uses Rudy and fellow center Karl-Anthony Towns in the team’s starting lineup.

In December, after Gobert imposed himself over compatriot Victor Wembanyama in a victory against San Antonio, Finch admitted that “this is the best I’ve ever seen him play on both ends of the ball.” The French center had dropped in 16 points and won 20 rebounds that night.

Gobert recognized that he didn’t deserve to win last season’s Defensive Player of the Year award

In a recent interview with NBA.com, Rudy was asked if he feels any connection or ownership with the DPOY awards, since he’s already won it three times in the past. When questioned about last campaign’s winner, he was clear he didn’t put up the numbers to contend for it.

“You’ve got to be objective. Last year I didn’t deserve it. From the start of the year, I didn’t help my team enough to be a great defensive team. At that point, I was curious to see who was going to win it,” he said about Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., who won his first ever.

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Last season, he remembered how Wolves fans weren’t too excited with the trade that brought him to Minnesota.

“Since I got here last year, I knew we had the potential to be the best defensive team in the league. A lot of length, a lot of size,” the center said.” We have guys who are unique. Also, guys who are very competitive – I think that’s the key to being a good defensive team. Having guys who have that hunger, that toughness, that resilience.”

He then acknowledged that during the 2022/23 campaign they went through an adaptation process. “And then last year, we went through a lot. We had some good moments. It took a while for the defense to get to where we wanted it,” he recalled.