All-Star big man Rudy Gobert may be feeling good about his fresh start, but it doesn’t mean he’s done hearing from the haters.
This week, the Minnesota big man finds himself in the headlines again after Tracy McGrady called him out for his work ethic.
“This is what I’ve been wondering, what the f**k are you doing in the offseason? Like, what is your workout?” Arenas said. “I was so mad at Rudy when they were playing against the Rockets one year bro and Chris Paul was guarding him in the post, I was mad as s**t. He couldn’t do nothing. Bro you’re 7’2″ and a point guard is guarding you, he had no moves.”
As one of the hardest workers the NBA has ever seen, T-Mac is more than qualified to speak on work ethic. Over his 16-year career, he averaged 19.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game. He retired as a 7x All-Star, 2x scoring champ, and 7x All-NBA player.
And while McGrady has been out of the game for a while, he still knows what separates the stars from the legends. The fact is, talent alone isn’t enough to be the best. It requires hard work to maximize one’s potential.
Regarding Gobert, nobody can doubt what Gobert does defensively. He’s one of the best in the league at protecting the rim, and it is a big reason why the Jazz have been so great on that end of the floor. Now, in Minnesota, his presence will likely make a drastic impact.
Unfortunately, Gobert isn’t nearly as valuable when it comes to the other side of the game. Besides standing layups and put-back dunks, Rudy really doesn’t have a lot in his bag, and it’s causing some to question his dedication to the sport.
We will find out soon enough just how hard he’s been working this summer.
