Rudy Gobert wins record
Rudy Gobert made some history. Victor Wembanyama nearly did.
Gobert, the Minnesota center, was announced Tuesday as the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year for a record-tying fourth time — joining Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace.
It was the fifth time in the last 11 seasons that a French center won defensive player of the year — and it sure seems like Wembanyama will add to that country’s total before long. The San Antonio rookie center, announced Monday as the league’s Rookie of the Year, was second in the voting and fell one spot short of being the first player to win the DPOY trophy in Year 1 of his NBA career.
Viva la France, indeed. Joakim Noah became the first Frenchman to win DPOY when he was the overwhelming choice in 2014, and Gobert now has the trophies for 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2024.
“It’s great teamwork,” Gobert, the best defender on a Timberwolves team that had the best defense in the NBA this season, said on TNT during the award’s announcement. “We love to get individual awards and all these things, and it’s great but you can’t do it alone.”
Related articles
Port city Lianyungang showcases cultural appeal
A promo event for the coastal city of Lianyungang is held in Beijing on March 19, 2024. [Photo provi2024-05-08An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
NEW YORK (AP) — An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday2024-05-08ACT Brumbies end Hurricanes' unbeaten run in Super Rugby Pacific
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The Wellington-based Hurricanes’ unbeaten start in Super Rugby Pacific en2024-05-08A former Democratic Georgia congressman hopes abortion can power his state Supreme Court bid
HOSCHTON, Ga. (AP) — May’s election for the Georgia Supreme Court is playing out as races for the st2024-05-08Ministers roll out a £64 million plan to help long
Birmingham, Manchester and north London are among 15 areas where the long-term ill will received tai2024-05-08Woman, 19, goes to meet man, 29, after striking up romance online
The body of a 19-year-old girl was found in a Louisiana river after she went to stay with a 29-year-2024-05-08
atest comment