French center Rudy Gobert spoke about the upcoming NBA season. This will be Gobert’s second season with the Minnesota Timberwolves, having spent the previous nine seasons with the Utah Jazz.
France had a disappointing finish in this FIBA World Cup despite a victory over Ivory Coast in the final game. Gobert, who has never missed a major tournament in a French jersey, spoke to Eurohoops about the challenges he faced in the previous NBA season and outlined his expectations for the next year.
“It took a lot of adjustment,” Gobert said when asked about his debut season in Minnesota.
“Off the court and on the court, it’s obvious. Joining a new organization, a new fan base, and moving to a different city. I left my comfort zone.”
Minnesota finished the season with a 42-40 record in the regular season, only to be eliminated 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs by Denver.
“I think we had a great season. We didn’t go as far as we wanted to, but we were resilient. We had a lot of injuries and many things didn’t go our way. But we kept fighting. I liked the mindset we had, especially in the playoffs,” emphasized Gobert.
The upcoming season will largely depend on the trio of Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards, and Karl-Anthony Towns.
“I think we have the potential to be really good. It’s important that we have a good training camp, build good habits. I believe we have the potential to be one of the top two defensive teams, and I don’t need to talk about how talented we are offensively. If we approach it with the mindset of doing whatever it takes for the team to win and holding each other accountable while doing it, I think we’ll have a surprisingly good year,” said Gobert.
Gobert admitted that he didn’t meet the standards he expects from himself in his debut year with the Wolves and explained why he believes it will change next season.
“It was definitely a year where I didn’t play my best, but I kept fighting. I kept working. I continued to be a good teammate and leader. Now I feel better physically and mentally. I’m not in the process of adjusting to a new system and a new team anymore. So it will be a different year,” hinted Rudy Gobert.
Gobert has often faced criticism in the public eye. However, the French center doesn’t mind it; in fact, he welcomes such comments.
“I welcome criticism. I think it comes with achieving great things; people expect a lot from you. It’s a blessing for me. As I’ve said, I’m excited to come back next year and be the best player I can be,” concluded the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year.