Appearing on the Road Trippin’ Show, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch spoke about Rudy Gobert, highlighting the French center’s importance to the team despite the criticism he has received.
“First of all, he’s a great teammate. He does things the right way,” Finch said. “He’s a floor raiser. When he’s out there every night, you know your team is going to reach a certain level and have a chance to win.”
According to Finch, the issue also comes down to how Gobert’s positive and negative contributions are perceived. The Frenchman’s mistakes are much more visible than the work he does away from the spotlight, particularly on the defensive end.
“All the things Rudy does at a very high level in the background aren’t always recognized. His mistakes, on the other hand, are very visible, so it’s easy for people to point them out. I think it’s unfortunate how much criticism he receives.”
Finch also pointed out that Gobert has become more mature when dealing with situations in which opponents score against him. According to the coach, Anthony Edwards has also played an important role in this process by helping create a positive environment within the locker room.
“All our guys have rallied around Rudy because they understand how important he is to us,” Finch explained. “That’s also the beauty of Ant. He’s an encouragement machine. He loves his teammates, gives everyone confidence and it’s genuine.”
The support from his teammates has helped Gobert embrace the role Minnesota needs him to play, while his pride and confidence remain an important part of his mentality.
“He’s driven by pride,” Finch concluded. “He’s confident, and he has every reason to believe he’s a good player because he really is. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
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