The reigning Defensive Player of the Year has recently landed in trouble again, this time for doing the same thing that earned him the biggest player fine of the season, not too long ago. Rudy Gobert was fined $75,000 for rubbing his fingers as a sign of money directed at the officials in Game 4 against Denver.
The NBA announced the news on Tuesday, two days after the Wolves' second-round series loss on Sunday, which tied the Western Conference series at 2-2.
The league's senior vice president Joe Dumars called the player's actions “a senseless act that calls into question the integrity of the league and its officials” and said the punishment “takes into account Gobert's history of inappropriate behavior toward officials.”
The NBA fined Rudy Gobert 75K for “inappropriate and unprofessional conduct.” pic.twitter.com/HACTOX9kSI
– Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) May 14, 2024
When asked about the fine, Gobert took the news lightly. “You don't surprise him,” the big man said after Tuesday's practice. “You don't surprise him.”
He was then expected to explain the reason behind his actions, but this time he insisted that there was no bad intention. “No message,” said Rudy. “Just feelings. I had to control my emotions. It was a very physical game, an emotional game. So I have to control my emotions.”
The French star had already been fined $100,000 in March for doing the same to official Scott Foster. However, at the time he admitted that he was trying to send a message to the referee, as his actions alluded to the NBA's gambling problems.
“I'm going to bite the bullet again,” Gobert told reporters after the incident in their 113-104 overtime loss to the Cavaliers. “I will be a bad person. I'll take the penalty, but I think it hurts our game. I can bet all that is getting bigger, but it doesn't have to feel that way.”
Wembntama believes Rudy Gobert should enjoy DPOY now because in the long run 'it's not his time'
Rudy Gobert recently established himself as one of the best defenders to ever grace an NBA court, and he has the accolades to back him up. The Minnesota center just received his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award last week, just as his team was preparing to play Denver in the Western Conference semifinals.
The French big man now owns a piece of the historic record alongside Hall of Famers Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo, who complete the list of only three athletes with this many DPOYs.
“It's a good synergy,” he told TNT. “We like to get individual awards and all these things, and it's great, but you can't do it alone. I'm so thankful … all my teammates for believing in me, allowing me to do what I do best every day and just try to change the culture here in Minnesota. Good for the boys for shopping.”
His teammate Victor Wembanyama was asked earlier this year if Gobert might win this award and he replied, “He won't win it now, because after that it's not his time anymore,” he said.
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