In the NBA, greatness gets recognized in a number of different ways. During the regular season, the All-Star game is a great way for guys to feel rewarded and appreciated for all the hard work they put in the entire season.
It’s also the reason why some players take it really hard when they feel they’ve been wrongly left off the team.
Back in 2019, that was Rudy Gobert’s reaction when he found out he didn’t make the team. He shared his thoughts with the media before breaking into tears.
“There was a chance I might not make it, I was surprised. I think it’s disrespectful, I feel disrespected. It’s my legacy. I don’t even play for money I don’t care about that, to be honest. It’s just about my legacy. It was a rough night. My mom called me crying, it was tough but it is what it is. It’s always gone be that way…”
It was obviously an emotional moment for Gobert, but he has made the team every season since.
Unfortunately, that one moment has come back to human the star big man a bit. At the time, he got some pretty significant slack for being “soft,” and he’s still hearing some of that noise today.
On Thursday, after this year’s All-Star teams were announced, Warriors veteran Draymond Green was asked which player took missing the cut the hardest. Of course, he called out Gobert.
“One thing I can assure you if I didn’t make it this year I wasn’t gonna cry. I can 100% assure you of that. It has to be Rudy, I mean the man cried on national television when he didn’t make the All-Star team. Thank God he’s made the next three. You can’t cry, Chuck. I said it then, I’m gonna say it now. I got killed on Twitter then, I’ll probably get killed on it today. You can’t cry, c’mon.”
Draymond Green bringing up when Rudy Gobert cryed when he didn't make the Allstar team 🤣
https://t.co/5k4xw5I9Oe
— David Portillo (@DPORTILLO_0) February 4, 2022
Looks like Rudy won’t be living that one down anytime soon. Draymond calling him out like that only added some more attention to the incident.
Really though, you can’t blame the guy too much for getting a little emotional. When you hard all your life towards something, it can suck to miss out on recognition. As Gobert said in his 2019 interview, he cares about his legacy. He wants to be great.
Today, Gobert doesn’t have to worry about his legacy anymore. He will forever be remembered as the defensive specialist he is and one of the greatest Jazz centers in history.
Hopefully, the next time he cries, it will be as he lifts the Larry O’Brien trophy.
