Rudy Gobert gets candid ahead of return to Utah.
In Minnesota, the Timberwolves are still searching for answers after a poor start to the season. Besides the play of Anthony Edwards (who has been one of the few bright spots for them), the Wolves haven't looked great and it's especially concerning given how much they gave up to acquire Rudy Gobert.
The star big man has played his role well enough for the Timberwolves, but his fit with the roster has been poor and the team has been unable to find any kind of consistent rhythm with him on the floor.
This week marks a special one for Rudy, as it's the first time he's set to play in Utah since the big trade.
Looking ahead to the matchup, Gobert got brutally honest.
On Friday, Gobert will return to Utah for his first game since the Jazz traded him to Minnesota. Utah was Gobert's only franchise. Nine seasons of playoff appearances, of Defensive Player of the Year accolades. Nine years of calling a place home. There's still a lot of love between Gobert and the Jazz.
"In this league when a player gets traded, usually people try to only focus on the basketball. But the way I am, things are bigger than just basketball," Gobert said. "The community, there's relationships. There's a lot of people that always had my back."
Gobert said he has never been in the visitors' locker room of the arena, and Friday is going to feel at least a little "weird." The Wolves already faced the Jazz in Minnesota, and that was different for Gobert, but Friday he'll face a crowd that cheered him on for nearly a decade.
"I just want to enjoy the moment," Gobert said. "There's a lot of people that I have a lot of love for over there. There's a lot of great memories. … I just want to enjoy the moment and, of course, get a win."
What Kind Of Reception Will Gobert Receive From Jazz Fans?
The Mitchell/Gobert era got pretty ugly towards the end, and now the Jazz are in a complete rebuild after trading them both away for picks and young assets. Ultimately, it was the right decision for both parties as there was a strong sense the championship window had already passed.
Only time will tell how Jazz fans remember Gobert, but they were more successful with him around than they are right now. Something tells me Jazz fans would love to go back to that time for at least a moment...
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