Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert opening eyes
France was defeated by Serbia in the semifinals of the FIBA World Cup after earning a huge upset victory over Spain in the quarterfinals and will take on Lithuania in the third-place game on Saturday. One of the biggest – and most surprising – reasons for their success has been the play of center Rudy Gobert, who made his NBA debut for the Utah Jazz last season.
More from NBA
- NBA insider: Cavaliers should consider trading Donovan Mitchell
- NBA rumors: Hawks trade candidate, Sixers miss out, Lakers almost lose Reaves
- NBA insider explains real reason the Grizzlies were done with Dillon Brooks
- Knicks projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
- Rockets projected lineup and rotations heading into 2023-24 season
Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com believes Gobert’s FIBA performance has opened some eyes but believes the big question is whether or not he can play with big man Derrick Favors.
"It’s changed some things, yes. My eyes were opened by how well Gobert moved his feet on the perimeter in the NBA Summer League, and his post defense on the Gasols earlier this week was a major step forward. Can he play with Favors? That’s the million-dollar question and I’m not sure I can offer any unique insight. We’ll have to see it on the court."
Pelton is right – playing with Favors is probably the biggest question for the Jazz regarding Gobert. If the two can hit the court together and players like Hayward, second-year guard Trey Burke and rookie guard Dante Exum all develop, the Jazz could be set up very well for the future.
Gobert averaged 2.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.9 blocks in 9.6 minutes per game while shooting 48.6% from the field and 49.2% from the free throw line. He appeared in 45 games so he is obviously looking to play a much bigger role in 2014.
Be sure to check FanSided’s official NBA page to keep up to date on the latest news and rumors from around the league all summer long.