Unbelievable: Timberwolves star’s shocking reaction in response to former Uta jazz DPOY award.
As we enter into the beginning of February, it marks the exciting time when the NBA’s prestigious All-Star starters and reserves are announced, showcasing the best 24 guys the league has the offer for the season. However, with the honor being so exclusive for a substantial pool of over 500 players in the association, it’s bound to see a few names inevitably snubbed in the selection process.
The Utah Jazz suffered their own snub, with Lauri Markkanen left without a spot on the 12-man roster for the Western Conference. He’s been a focal point of the success this team has had across the entire season when healthy on both ends of the floor, averaging 23.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.0 assists on impressive shooting splits.
It’s a feeling Jazz fans know all too well. You don’t have to look far back in the team’s history to see the last player to suffer the same crushing fate. Three-time DPOY Rudy Gobert had his fair share of snubs during his time in Salt Lake City, and not much has changed in his second year with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Despite being a critical part of Minnesota’s number-one defense and top seed in the Western Conference, it still wasn’t enough to earn his spot as an All-Star. Still, recent quotes from the big man tend to show he’s not too upset with the results uncovered this Thursday.
According to a tweet from Timberwolves insider Dane Moore, Gobert brushed off the snub, noting that it’s nothing that he hasn’t seen before throughout his career:
Gobert was an All-Star in Utah from 2020-2022 when the Jazz were routinely a top-ranked defense and perennial playoff contender, but it was easier said than done for him to finally get that respect. We saw a similar situation happen in 2019 when Rudy got snubbed during the best season of his career, eventually leading to his then-viral emotionally charged press conference.
