Rudy Gobert is a player that typically gets a lot of hate from fans. While he remains of the best defensive players in the entire league, there are some out there who feel like Gobert isn't what he's cracked up to be. Not to mention, his role in the NBA shut down last year has left a bad taste in a lot of people's mouths. Regardless, Gobert and his Utah Jazz teammates are sitting in first place in the Western Conference and they have as good of a shot as ever to make a deep run in the playoffs.
During a recent interview with Olympics.com, Gobert spoke about how he believes his team is well on its way to a championship and that he plans on repping France in the Olympics very soon after.
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“Straight after the game, I’ll get on the plane with the NBA trophy in my hand," Gobert said jokingly. "No, no, we’ll see… I may miss the Opening Ceremony but the most important thing is that I’m ready for the team. For now, my focus is on the NBA and then it will be Olympic gold.” [...] I’m afraid of nobody and my team is afraid of nobody. I never feared anyone, and it won’t change today. The harder the challenge is, the more motivated I am. And I think it’s the same for my teammates. We hope they have the best team possible, but we know that other teams are strong also. It will be up to us to play our best basketball. As simple as that.”
The Olympics begin at around the same time as the final game of the NBA Finals, which means Gobert is going to have to make a very quick turnaround if his team gets that far. France is a team that typically does well at these tournaments, and Gobert is certainly among the country's best players.
As for the Jazz, time will tell whether or not they can get the job done.
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