French · Saint-Quentin, France · Born 26 June 1992French professional basketball player, three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, Olympic silver medalist, and dominant center known for elite shot-blocking.
Rudy Gobert was born in Saint-Quentin, France in 1992. Utah Jazz selected him 27th overall in the 2013 NBA Draft. His career has produced 14.3 points and 12.3 rebounds per game along with four All-Star appearances. He won the Defensive Player of the Year award three times (2018, 2019, 2021) — the third player to win the award three times after Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace. He has averaged 2.3 blocks per game across his career. He was the first player confirmed to have contracted COVID-19 in the NBA — his diagnosis in March 2020 triggered the suspension of the entire league season. He won Olympic silver with France at Tokyo 2020. He was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022 in a blockbuster deal that cost Minnesota four first-round picks — reflecting his value as the most dominant defensive center in the game. He and Karl-Anthony Towns formed one of the largest starting frontcourts in recent NBA history. His shot-blocking, interior defence and screen-setting excellence have consistently influenced opponent field goal percentages at the rim by double-digit margins.
Elite shot-blocking and rim protection
How They Played
Defensive anchor, rim protector, pick-and-roll finisher
Lasting Impact
One of the greatest defensive centers in NBA history
Career Honours
- Defensive Player of Year 3x (2018,2019,2021)
- All-Star 4x
- All-NBA Second Team 3x
- Olympic Silver (France 2020)
| Club | Period | Apps |
|---|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | 2013–2022 | 632 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 2022–2024 | 164 |
French Athletes