Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert says he's never going to forget being left off the 2019 All-Star team.
Gobert was very emotional when he spoke to reporters back in February the day after the All-Star reserves were announced.
The reigning Defensive Player of the Year admits he was frustrated, though he pointed out that he was not surprised by getting snubbed.
“I mean, everything motivates me,” Gobert told Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype. “But this is definitely something I won’t forget. I don’t play for that. I play to win – and everyone around me knows that – but it is one of those things where you just say, ‘What else am I supposed to do?!' I feel like I’m doing everything I need to do to help my team, but the people who hold this decision in their hands don’t see it the same way.
“I was very frustrated the day I heard the news, but I wasn’t very surprised. In some ways, I sort of knew this was going to happen. And, at the end of the day, it doesn’t really matter. My teammates know what I do for them and this team. My family knows what I can do. My coaches know what I bring to the table. What matters most to me is winning and having the people around me know my worth.”
Rudy Gobert is one of the best centers in the NBA, but because he's not averaging 20 points per game like all the other elite big men do, he gets overlooked a lot.
Gobert is putting up 15.5 points and 12.9 rebounds on the season. He has 51 double-doubles.
The Jazz are currently in the thick of the playoff race in the West , and they really need Gobert to show his All-Star form in order to make it to the postseason. Entering Friday, Utah owns a 37-27 record, good for sixth place in the conference.
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