Utah Jazz big man Rudy Gobert has earned another feather to his cap by recently being awarded as the French Player of the Year. This is yet another amazing achievement for the 27-year-old after securing back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year honors in the NBA. This is via John Askounis of EuroHoops.
The French Basketball Federation, FFBB, announced that Rudy Gobert is the 2019 recipient of the Alain Gilles Trophy, named after the player who was the first French basketball icon. The annual award goes to the French Player of the Year, male or female.
Gobert is coming off another outstanding campaign for the Jazz, where he averaged a career-best 15.9 points (on 69.9 percent shooting!), 12.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.3 blocks in 31.8 minutes per contest. The 7-foot-1 center played all but one out of Utah's 82 regular season contests.
Gobert was also amazing in the recently concluded FIBA World Cup in China, as he helped the French national squad to a bronze medal finish.
More of the same is expected of the six-year veteran this coming season, especially considering how the Jazz are considered as one of the dark horses in the West. By adding the likes of former Memphis Grizzlies cornerstone superstar Mike Conley and veteran wingman Bojan Bogdanovic this summer, many believe that Utah will be entering the new campaign with a more formidable lineup.
For his part, Gobert will still need to serve as the anchor of the team's defense. The Western Conference is going to be even more ruthless this term, so the two-time All-NBA big man will need to be at his very best throughout the season.
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