Rudy Gobert has been considered one of the top centers in the league, and many people view him as the best rim protector currently playing. There’s a reason that he has won multiple DPOY awards in his career, and there’s no doubt that he’s an impactful player on that end of the floor.
While he is obviously an elite defender, Rudy Gobert’s offense has often been criticized. The most notable talking point has been Rudy Gobert’s scoring. He is an efficient player, but a lot of his buckets are generally assisted by his teammates.
Rudy Gobert Failed To Post Up Dennis Schroder
When a center is being defended by a guard, generally, we see them score due to that matchup being a mismatch. However, it seems as though Rudy Gobert has a hard time doing so. Recent footage from the France – Germany game showed Rudy Gobert being unable to score on Dennis Schroder, despite having an advantage.
https://twitter.com/Itamar_17_10/status/1565441108842274822
There is no doubt that this video illustrates one of the weaknesses in Rudy Gobert’s overall offensive game. While not every player has to be able to score at a high level, one would expect Rudy Gobert to be able to score in the post in this situation, given the size difference between the two players.
Former All-Star Tracy McGrady once criticized Rudy Gobert for his poor offensive skills, rhetorically asking what Rudy Gobert is “doing in the offseason”. McGrady brought up a similar situation, where Rudy Gobert was being guarded by Chris Paul and was unable to score.
This is what I’ve been wondering. What the f*ck are you doing in the offseason? Straight up… like what is your workout? Listen. I was so mad at Rudy, when they were playing against the Rockets one year, and Chris Paul was guarding him in the post. I was mad as s*it. He couldn’t do nothing. Nothing. Bro you 7’2, and a point guard is guarding you. He had no moves.
Obviously, most players, if not all, have weaknesses in their game. A player like Rudy Gobert not being able to post up effectively doesn’t make him a bad player. However, one would expect him to be able to score against smaller guards, and perhaps we will see him develop his game to be able to do that in the future.
This summer, Rudy Gobert was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves, and it is clear that the front office wants him to be a difference-maker for the team. Hopefully, we see Rudy Gobert thrive in a new situation, and the Timberwolves are going to be scary to face next season.
