Rudy Gobert is well aware that he's one of the most disliked players in the league. It's reached a point where it's not easy for the French native to simply shrug off, especially when current players like Draymond Green take every opportunity to pounce on him as well as Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal who relentlessly calls him soft on national media.
At this point, Gobert admitted that he's learned to live with it as he has trained his mind over the years to not let it get in the way of his performance on the court. In an interview with ESPN , the Minnesota Timberwolves big man revealed why he thinks he's so hated around the league:
"In their eyes, I'm more like the odd guy from France that's winning a lot of awards, and it can bother people," Gobert told ESPN . "I impact the games in a very unique way. It's maybe not as cool or not as flashy as some other guys, so it's sometimes harder for them to respect that. "I just think I'm just mostly misunderstood. I think I triggered a lot of these guys."
It's the era for jokes and clicks
Gobert, the favorite to claim this year's Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY) award again, also said that in this era where jokes and memes rule the internet, a hatred approach is a common theme towards outsiders like him. For example, When Shaq jokes about Gobert earning max contract money, people will pile on the joke just because it looks cool and funny in public.
"But also, it's the entertainment game, " said Gobert. "Most people are followers," Gobert said. "They just follow what's the common trend. What's the common thing to laugh about? "Now, unfortunately, in this generation, it's more about how much attention it is going to bring more than about the truth behind it. ... So, yeah, I'm OK with living with that now."
Even this year, for example, despite being the anchor of the team with the best defensive rating in the league during the regular season, the three-time DPOY award still heard the likes of O'Neal say that it should be Bam Adebayo hoisting that DPOY trophy by the end of the season. It's public criticisms like this that continue to ruin Gobert's reputation around the league.
But people fail to acknowledge the fact that Gobert also put up 14.0 points and 12.9 rebounds in 76 games in the regular season. He's also taken on a leadership role with the Timberwolves, who were on top of the competitive Western Conference for most of the season.
At this point, "The Stifle Tower" has accepted that he'll never earn everyone's respect, even if he finally wins a championship or claims his fourth career Defensive Player of the Year award.
How Rudy mentally trained himself not to mind it
Before beginning his second season with the Timberwolves, one where he helped lead the team to the playoffs, Gobert took time off in the summer to go on a 64-hour retreat. He got this advice from NFL legend and quarterback Aaron Rogers, who told him to experience going on a retreat at the Sky Cave Dark in southern Oregon.
As someone who has dealt with his own fair share of public criticism, Rogers knew this retreat would help Rudy find inner peace and eliminate distractions that would carry over with him this season.
"It was a very powerful experience," Gobert said . "It felt like a huge reset and also a powerful checkpoint. I had a lot of gratitude. I went back into all the things that I've experienced up to this point, and all the things that I've been through and all the great people that I have around me. I realized that I was exactly where I was supposed to be on my journey," Gobert added.
We don't know if Gobert is truly over the fact that he's one of the most ridiculed players in the league, but one thing's for sure: This type of new mindset has helped him put together an incredible season. Whether his naysayers admit it or not, Gobert is one of if not the best defensive players in the league and someone who deserves more praise than criticism for playing an integral role in the Wolves' success this season.
Related: "Some people didn't want me around because of who I am" - Rudy Gobert reflects on feeling unwelcome among certain family members
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