Rudy Gobert

Lore & Background

Gobert has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award four times, tied for the most in NBA history with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. He is a four-time All-NBA Team member, eight-time All-Defensive First Team member, and three-time NBA All-Star. Gobert was also the NBA blocks leader in the 2016–17 season and the NBA rebounding leader in the 2021–22 season. Gobert was named to the All-NBA Second Team in 2017, and the All-NBA Third Team in 2019, 2020, and 2021. In March 2020, Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first NBA player with a confirmed case of the virus.

Reader's Guide

Gobert was born in Saint-Quentin, Aisne, France. He started playing basketball in 2003 for the JSC St-Quentin club, later joining the Saint-Quentin BB club. In 2007, he joined Cholet Basket's cadet categories training center. He played for Cholet from 2011 to 2013. He was selected with the 27th overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 2013 NBA draft and was later traded on draft night to the Utah Jazz. He played for the Jazz from 2013 to 2022. His career highlights include setting NBA Draft Combine records for wingspan (7 feet 8.5 inches) and standing reach (9 feet 7 inches).

Did You Know?

• Gobert's 24 rebounds on March 3, 2015, were three short of the Jazz franchise record of 27 set by Truck Robinson.
• He signed a four-year, $102 million contract extension with the Jazz in 2016, making him the best paid French athlete at the time.