The game of basketball has evolved a lot in the last few decades. Gone are the days when each player was expected to excel in just one dimension of the game. Nowadays, NBA teams expect players to improve their game in all the departments, be it from inside the paint, mid-range, or from the 3-point line.
Due to this change, the center position has been revolutionized beyond recognition. More and more centers are trying to improve their 3-pt shooting to fit in with modern-day basketball.
However, 3-time NBA defensive player of the year Rudy Gobert is among the few who have refused to bow down to this. The result has been quite obvious as the Utah Jazz failed to transition their regular-season performances to the postseason last season.
Gobert’s inability to shoot from beyond the 3-point line doesn’t deserve all the blame, but it played a pretty big role in the downfall of the no. 1 seed in the playoffs.
Reddit user u/OlympicGoldJavale pointed out that the Utah Jazz center is the only starting center in the entire league, shooting less than 30% from beyond the arc. For a player who is making big bucks like Gobert, it is quite surprising.
But that’s not even the worst part. According to StatMuse, Gobert has attempted just 8 3-point shots in his entire career. Guess how many did he sink in of them? Zero!
No player wants the tag of such a stat, but at the end of the day, it is true. Moving forward, unless Gobert improves this aspect of his game, it’s hard to see the Utah Jazz win the NBA championship any time soon.
Moreover, it could cause problems with his star teammate Donovan Mitchell. Mitchell was in the form of his life last season, but there is only so much a single player can do.
What are your thoughts? Is it possible for the Rudy Gobert-Donovan Mitchell duo to win an NBA championship with their current tools in the arsenal? Or do you believe Gobert’s inability to stretch the court will hold back the team? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section below.
