Rudy Gobert is one of the best big-men in the entire NBA and as a result, he has won defensive player of the year twice. He has also been an all-star which just goes to show how talented he is. For a number of reasons, Gobert has caught a lot of flack over the years although he is still confident in his abilities and believes he is a top-tier player in the NBA.
This past week, we reported on how Gobert was looking to acquire a supermax deal from the Utah Jazz. While he didn't get a full supermax, the team rewarded him today with a five-year, $205 million deal that makes him the third-highest paid player in the entire NBA.
"It means that they believe in me," Gobert said in the ESPN report. "They believe in what we've been building over the years with this whole organization, with coach [Quin Snyder] and all the guys. For me, it's an incredible blessing. It's a very motivating feeling to know that we all share the same vision and we all share this goal for this state and for this franchise."
As soon as the contract was announced, NBA fans took to Twitter with some slander for Gobert, as they simply couldn't believe that he was getting such a massive deal. Many feel like it is undeserved, especially since centers aren't valued as highly anymore. Needless to say, this deal has led to some polarizing reactions.
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[Via]