Rudy Gobert spoke in an interview for L’Equipe about winning the DPOY award, as well as Draymond Green’s criticisms.
Rudy Gobert has won the Defensive Player of the Year award for the fourth time in his career.
“It’s an incredible honor. When I arrived in the NBA in 2013, I never imagined this. I wanted to be respected, to earn my place. To become a real NBA player, in short. It happened step by step until the day I realized that I had it in me, that I could become the best defender in the world. This is what I have become today. This title is very prestigious, but above all, it represents the values that define me: determination, perseverance, resilience, and teamwork.”
Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace have also won the Defensive Player of the Year award four times in their careers. Both players have become members of the NBA Hall of Fame. When asked if he thinks he will also become a Hall of Famer, Gobert said:
“I don’t know. In any case, I am far from having finished and having shown everything. More than the rewards, my goal is really to continue writing my story and to have no regrets at the end. I will continue to fight every day to be the best player and the best person I can be. And when it’s time to count the rings and medals, we will.”
Draymond Green has recently been heavily criticizing Rudy Gobert.
“Ah, we’ll see. But he still won four championship titles. All in all, everyone goes their own way and each adventure is different. Draymond Green has accomplished some great things in his career. Like me, he’s someone who’s always been underestimated, and he managed to fight to become what he became.
I have enormous respect for his career, for everything he has accomplished as an athlete. I think we even share certain values that make us special. Then, whether he said and did certain things… It’s his choice. It’s his business. I continue to move forward.”