Rudy Gobert was the odd man out in a surprising set of All-Star selections from the Minnesota Timberwolves, with Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards both being selected instead. While Gobert was happy for those two, it was clear that the Timberwolves center was stung a bit by his omission.
Gobert tried to look on the bright side by pointing out that he would be getting extra vacation time, but admitted that he felt “taken for granted” and “disrespected” by the snub.
“It’s not the first time I’ve been taken for granted or disrespected,” Gobert said. “I’m happy at the end of the day I get to get some vacation.”
The Timberwolves are tied for the best record in the Western Conference entering play Saturday, but some were left surprised that it was Towns who got a second All-Star bid instead of Gobert. Towns is having a perfectly fine season, averaging 22.7 points per game, but some had expected to see Gobert get rewarded with a spot as the defensive anchor of one of the league’s best teams.
Considering the spot Gobert and the Timberwolves were in at the end of last season, he probably deserves some recognition for the turnaround. He will just have to settle for being regarded as one of the core players on one of the league’s best teams.
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