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Since entering the league in 2013, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has elevated himself from a late first-round draft pick to one of the most stifling interior defenders in the NBA. While the big man boasts tremendous athleticism and first-rate defensive instincts, it's his competitiveness that, according to head coach Quin Snyder, may be the most important asset he possesses.
As the Jazz coach explained in an interview with beIN Sports–a French sports network–the center's fiery streak extends beyond the basketball court (transcript via Eurohoops):
“He’s unique in so many ways,” Quin Snyder said of Rudy Gobert. “I think first is his competitiveness. I haven’t been around a player that wants to win as bad Rudy does. Even in ping-pong. So that carries over on the court.”
It should come as little surprise to Jazz fans that Gobert is as competitive as Synder claims. After all, not only is the center known for his willingness to bulldoze his way over screens where most players would duck under to avoid the contact, but the big man is also always an oddity during the All-Star game–given his penchant for providing an all-out effort where most others operate on cruise control.
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During the most recent All-Star exhibition last Sunday in Atlanta, Gobert not only threw down an array of ferocious dunks but often let loose a primal scream afterward, as if he had fought his way to the rim. In reality, most of his opponents had simply stepped out of his way.
Still, while Gobert's habit of operating at 100 percent no matter the context may provide humor on some occasions, it is certainly appreciated by a Jazz squad that has unexpectedly risen to the top of the conference standings. In a league that often fights against the notion that the regular season doesn't matter, Gobert's drive to win all 82 games is precisely the kind of effort fans should expect when they buy tickets.
If anything, the NBA needs more players like Rudy Gobert.
