Utah Jazz: Rudy Gobert shows off revamped physique

Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert looks ready to reach a new level of dominance.

Frenchman Rudy Gobert was no twig last season or in any recent campaign for the Utah Jazz. However, he was noticeably a tad too thin as a 21-year-old Jazz rookie after going No. 27 overall at the 2013 NBA Draft. Nowadays, though, the 29-year-old big man appears more and more like an undeniably imposing muscleman.

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Check out Gobert’s tweeted workout picture over the weekend, which is the equivalent of the 7-foot-1, 260-pounder’s private gun show:

Now, compare that massive build to the oh-so-slender frame from Gobert’s 2013-14 highlight package in what was then known as the NBA D-League. The difference is night and day, indeed:

Utter Utah Jazz stardom on the horizon?

Assuming the gains in the weight room don’t diminish his renowned footwork on defense, the two-time All-Star should be a frontrunner for NBA Defensive Player of the Year once again. Yes, Rudy Gobert could become the award’s third four-time winner, joining legendary paint protectors Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.

Plus, due to added bulk this offseason in addition to some refined post moves while helping Team France capture a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics, chances are Gobert will display considerable improvements on the offensive end as well.

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Last season, in anchoring the post for a Utah squad that finished atop the standings in the regular season, Gobert set career-highs with 13.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. But his average of 14.3 points fell short of his previous two marks (15.9 and 15.1, respectively, in 2018-19 and 2019-20).

The Jazz season begins on Oct. 20 when they host the Oklahoma City Thunder.