"He is overcriticized" - 2X NBA All-Star believes Rudy Gobert's negative treatment by basketball fans is unfair
Former Cleaveland Cavaliers player Roy Hibbert expressed his views on the negative treatment Rudy Gobert receives from basketball fans.
The two-time NBA All-Star appeared on the Let's Keep it a Buck Podcast where he discussed a lot of different topics, including the reigning Defensive Player of the Year Gobert.
"I think he is over analyzed. He has those four for a reason and he is held to a very high standard as he has those four ... I think he is overcriticized," Hibbert said.
(Starts: 1:40)
The former Cavalier highlighted how Gobert's four Defensive Player of the Year awards are a big reason behind the over-analyzing he faces.
He gave the example of Shaquille O'Neal, explaining that as Shaq has rings under his name, the NBA icon is exempted from a lot of criticism.
The other panelists on the podcast agreed with Hibbert's statement. One of them said that though Gobert was unfairly hated by some in the community, he does have his flaws.
Gobert made it all the way to the Western Conference finals with the Minnesota Timberwolves last season. He averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks, however, the Wolves lost to the Mavericks in the Western Conference finals with a 4-1 record.
Mike Conley shares his opinion on the hate his teammate Rudy Gobert receives
Minnesota Timberwolves player Mike Conley has shared his opinion on the hate his teammate Rudy Gobert receives from some of the fans.
"He's taken a lot of heat just for a lot of different things," Conly said while speaking to Sports Illustrtaed. "A lot of people attack him for different reasons and different parts of a season or different things."
Conley believes that money plays a big part in the hate Gobert receives. He used himself as an example and explained that when he went from making nothing to making a lot of money in a year, he was proclaimed as the favorite underdog player.
However, things came crashing down and he was the worst in many people's eyes. The Wolves guard explained that it was the same for Gobert.
"I think he's just one of them guys. He's making a bunch of money — there's a ton of guys like that in the league — and everybody's there to criticize why they shouldn't have that, and I think that's a big part of that."
Rudy Gobert will be back in action with the Minnesota Timberwolves in late October when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers in their first game of the season.