"If somebody wants to fight, I'm easy to reach" - Rudy Gobert says guys need to stop acting like they're going to fight on the court, as security is always around to stop an escalation
Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz had some things to say after their loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Gobert, along with teammates Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles, and Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers, were ejected from the Pacers' 111-100 win.
In a postgame interview, Gobert explained what happened between him and Turner. He also implied that he would not throw punches inside the basketball court, but he's open to fighting anyone off it.
"I’m not gonna throw a punch and get suspended and hurt my team. And I didn’t feel a threat at all. I’m not gonna fight on a basketball court. But if somebody wants to fight, I’m easy to reach. I’m really easy to reach. I’m just not going to do it on social media," Gobert said.
Rudy Gobert and Myles Turner react to the altercation they had on the court in the 4th quarter between the #UtahJazz and the #Pacers on Thursday night.
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Rudy Gobert added that players are not going to throw punches because security is always there to prevent any escalations. He said that the scuffle was just for the cameras. Gobert also added that players should stop acting tough if they are not going to fight.
"Guys need to stop acting like they’re going to fight. We know that in two seconds, there’s going to be 20 security guards in between us. They know it’s good for the cameras, but they know we aren’t going to fight. Guys who are not about that life need to stop acting like they are," Gobert said.
The scuffle between Rudy Gobert and Myles Turner happened with about four minutes left in the fourth quarter, with the Jazz down by ten points. Turner blocked Gobert's shot, and the Frenchman fell down, grabbing the Pacers center.
As they got up, Turner gave Gobert a push, and things escalated. The two players grabbed each other before security, coaches and players separated them. At the end of it, the two big men were ejected along with Donovan Mitchell and Joe Ingles.
Possible suspensions and fines are on the way for the four players involved.
Rudy Gobert credits boxing coach for staying calm in the scuffle
Before entering the NBA, Rudy Gobert trained in boxing. He still uses that as a part of his routine during the season and in the offseason. When in Utah, Gobert trains with Matt Pena. He credited his trainer for learning how to stay calm in scuffles like the one with Myles Turner on Thursday.
"I keep my head cool because I have a lot of self-control. It’s actually funny because my boxing coach was at the game. That’s the only time of the year that he came to a game! It’s funny. But they teach you how to keep calm," Gobert said.
Long before Rudy Gobert began his #NBA career, he took up boxing & still uses it as a form of training today!
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Rudy Gobert has been boxing since he was ten years old. And he even thinks of fighting for real, even though the NBA does not permit its players to fight professionally.