This breakout season has seen the Utah Jazz shoot up to be a top four team in the Western Conference and Rudy Gobert is a big reason why. The Stifle Tower is now just three rebounds shy of making history.
After Rudy Gobert had a surprising five rebound game in Utah’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, he is now three boards away from a 1000 point, 1000 rebound and 200 block season. This is an incredible achievement that is flying under the radar, especially with all the hype surrounding Russell Westbrook’s triple-double record.
Not many people are aware of how great Gobert’s season has been. He’s putting up elite numbers on a nightly basis and as a result, he’s found himself in some pretty elite company.
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If you are a Houston Rockets or OKC Thunder fan, I think it’s best you tune out now before you realize that Rudy Gobert is just as relevant as James Harden and Russell Westbrook from a production and numbers standpoint. What ‘Gobzilla’ has achieved this season is unparalleled by any non Hall-of Famer in NBA history.
The 1000+ points, 1000+ rebound and 200+ block club is home to only a few. Only 11 players in ABA/NBA history have ever done it. Those 11 superstars are Shaquille O’Neal, Bob McAdoo, Dwight Howard, Bob Lanier, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Dikembe Mutombo, Hakeem Olajuwon, Artis Gilmore, Elvin Hayes and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. I know right, pretty impressive.
Of those 11 players, nine are currently in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The other two are Tim Duncan and Dwight Howard, who will surely be inducted at some point. On this list, Rudy is the fourth youngest ever to do so. He is also one of only two players that were not top four draft picks.
Put simply, 11 of the greatest players ever to play the game have put forth their best seasons, and Rudy Gobert has not only matched them, he has surpassed some of them with how impressively he did it. Of course, career-wise he is a long way from doing so but that’s not to say he can’t some day reach their accomplishments.
The 11 behemoths have won a combined 23 NBA/ABA championships, made 123 All-Star appearances, won 13 MVP Awards and been First Team All-NBA/ABA 52 times. The average career of one of these greats consists of two NBA championships, 11 All-Star appearances, one MVP award and being First Team All-NBA five times. Not a bad career if you ask me.
Now after reading the above, can you make a logical argument as to why he wasn’t an All-Star? I didn’t think so. Rudy Gobert has been one of the most impactful players in the NBA all season long and in my opinion doesn’t just deserve to be an All-Star, he should be First Team All-NBA. It sounds really bold but the numbers back it up.
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From last season to this season, Gobert has gone from being a solid rebounder and rim protector, to hands down, the best center in the NBA. The premiere All-NBA squad was designed to honor the best player at each position and without reserving a spot for Gobert, it isn’t doing it justice. That isn’t to say that players like Anthony Davis and Draymond Green haven’t had great seasons, I’m just saying that Gobert is far better at the center position.
My first-team All-NBA squad for this season goes as follows; Russell Westbrook, James Harden (only because of basic stats), Kawhi Leonard, Lebron James and Rudy Gobert. I feel bad for not having Isaiah Thomas on that list because I truly believe he is a top-five player. I also probably shouldn’t have Harden on there because his team statistically (in terms of +/-) is far better when he’s off the floor. But you can’t argue with triple-doubles.
I’m kind of contradicting myself by playing LeBron (a natural small forward) at power forward, but he’s still better at that position than anyone else in the league.
Next: With Seeds 1-3 Clinched in the West, Interesting Dynamic Arises for Utah Jazz
Back onto the topic of Rudy Gobert, three more rebounds can put him in elite company and it is only a sign of things to come. Be sure to watch the Stifle Tower make history Saturday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.
All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference.