By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
During the NBA In-Season Tournament Night, Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama met up on the court, as the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the San Antonio Spurs 117-110 with the 31-year-old ending with a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds.
The 1st pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, instead, ended with 29 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists in his team’s loss. “It feels special. I know every night there’s going to be one or two guys who are special to play against. But even more, it’s someone who over the years has tried to take care of me and teach me some stuff. It was even more special and challenging”, he commented on his countryman.
On the other end, Rudy Gobert praised him after the encounter. “I think his positioning is way ahead of the positioning of a rookie. You can tell that he is well-coached and also that he is studying the game. That will only get better throughout the year. He’s already affecting [shots], he’s already getting in people’s minds a bit defensively”, the former Utah Jazz center stated.
“He’s going to be a real, real problem. He’s already a problem, but I think he’s going to be a real, real problem really soon. So I’m really happy and proud of the way he’s evolving and his progression”, the three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year also said.
Victor Wembanyama gave his all to keep San Antonio afloat, and Rudy Gobert said nothing but great words about his effort. “That’s what he lives for. He lives for those moments. He’s a competitor. He’s a winner. All those things that, like I said, the way he works, his mindset, the way he studies the game. You add that to obviously the unique physical tools that he has. And I don’t think we’re going to see something like that for a while”, he commented before touching on his near future.
“His approach, his dedication, the work that he puts in, and the work he put in the last three months since the draft is paying off. I saw a big difference between summer league and preseason. You can tell he was in the gym, and not just in the gym, but he was doing the right thing. It’s hard to imagine what it’s going to be — and he will — after a couple of years of working like he’s doing. I can’t even imagine how he’s going to evolve”, Rudy Gobert ended on Victor Wembanyama.
Between the 2023-24 Regular Season and the NBA In-Season Tournament, the 19-year-old rookie and former ASVEL and Boulogne-Levallois Metropolitans 92 player has been averaging 18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game.
Rudy & Victor.
🇫🇷 Victor Wembanyama :
29 PTS / 9 REB / 4 AST / 4 BLK🇫🇷 Rudy Gobert :
11 PTS / 10 REB / 1 AST / 1 STLVictoire des Wolves 117-110 pic.twitter.com/l1JL99sCYX
— NBA France (@NBAFRANCE) November 11, 2023
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images