Rudy Gobert joins Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace as the third player to win Defensive Player of the year four times 🔥
In a move that won't surprise many, Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has been selected as the NBA Defensive Player of the Year for 2023-24, the league announced on Tuesday.
After defeating San Antonio Spurs rookie Victor Wembanyama and Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo, Gobert has been awarded his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award and now ties Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace for the most in league history. It's a major accomplishment for the French big man who has just enjoyed one of the best regular seasons of his career. The Timberwolves finished 56-26 this season and are in the Western Conference Semifinals against the reigning champion Denver Nuggets.
Gobert earned the league's Defensive Player of the Year title for the third time during the 2020-21 season, having previously won it with the Utah Jazz in 2017-18 and 2018-19. Gobert finished third in the vote during the 2021-22 season, but he did not make the top of the poll for the 2022-23 season.
This is actually the second honor a Minnesota player has received this season. Naz Reid was recently named the 2023-24 NBA Sixth Man of the Year, defeating Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk.
When the Timberwolves gave up a slew of assets to acquire Gobert in 2022, many believed they were insane. And it seemed like they may have been right because Minnesota missed the playoffs in Gobert's first season. But things changed a lot this season and after adjusting to his new squad, Gobert has restored his position as one of the league's finest defensive players.
The Timberwolves have greatly benefited from Gobert's amazing work in 2023-24 and they are now up 2-0 over the reigning champion Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semifinals. However, Gobert wasn't involved in Game 2, as he was dealing with the birth of his child. But when he returns to the team soon, he will not only be celebrated as the best defensive part of the Timberwolves team, but also the best defensive player in the entire league.
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