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Jokic was simply asked to clarify who is the best defender against him in the NBA. Serbian center shortly said "Everyone," before naming a full list of different players: "Everyone. Some teams defend very well as a unit, while others have excellent individual defenders. Zubac guards me really well, and so does Nurkic. I guess they’re just bulkier, so I can’t move them when we’re battling for position," he said. "I think Rudy Gobert is a great defender, even though I’ve historically played well against him. Jalen Duren, he’s undersized but tricky. Wendell Carter Jr. is also on the shorter side, and Myles Turner blocks a lot of shots. There’s no need to even talk about Wembanyama. They’re all good; the league is talented on both ends of the floor."
Your lead assistant coach Micah Nori is gone (to be a head coach in Portland). Finch: Micah of course; the staff changes have happened as well. But the tentpoles (Anthony Edwards, Rudy Gobert and Jaden McDaniels) are still here. And we like that. But I think it will be good to take those guys back to the beginning, too. And they’ve got to be part of the journey and impart more knowledge, understanding and expectation. And hopefully that lifts the accountability piece for everybody. Just getting LaMelo to understand how we do things and the urgency with which that needs to happen. I’m kind of excited about that dynamic and watching it play out. I’m excited about kind of putting myself forward again. I’ve spent the last few years trying to lean into the development of coaches giving everybody a voice, kind of growing together, giving everyone a role.
“I don’t know if it’s relieved me. I think I’m just calmer,” Fournier replies. “I’m not going to say I’m getting old (laughs) , but… As you get older, you understand things better, you put them into perspective. My role? I can be the player who makes sure everything is in order. If we lack aggression, if we need to establish a half-court offense, put the ball where it needs to be, I can make sure of that… People think I’m just a scorer, but I can do a lot of things. If necessary, I can still score. Well, okay, maybe not 28 points against the USA (laughs) (2021 Olympics, France won 83-76) . ” I no longer see myself as the super aggressive player all the time. I think the main challenge will be determining, beyond Victor (Wembanyama), who will do what. With Rudy, we need to facilitate the transition, bridge the gap with the coach. I'm a veteran; I have more "insider knowledge" to share. Few have experience at this level, and it's crucial. In any case, it won't stop me from remaining the person I've always been.
France defeated Sweden 79-69 in Stockholm to record their seventh win in eight games of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers.
Victor Wembanyama led the winners with 18 points, eight rebounds and three blocks, shooting 6-of-7 from the field. Maxime Raynaud and Matthew Strazel added 13 points apiece, while Jaylen Hoard finished with 10. Rudy Gobert did not play. Pelle Larsson paced Sweden with a game-high 23 points .
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Victor Wembanyama revealed what he learned from the game as a captain, who is seeking to get better at the role. "Everything depends on the circumstances. At halftime, we had almost the same score as we did against Serbia in the friendly game. We made mistakes in the previous game that we didn't repeat today. It wasn't perfect. You have to know how to find the right words depending on the context." Finally, he was asked about his partnership with Rudy Gobert improving every game: "That's normal! That's the only direction it's supposed to go. I hope to share the court with him for a long time, for years. It's good. It's a step forward. We're working."
Shams Charania: BREAKING: Jonathan Kuminga has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves, plus a player option, agent Aaron Turner tells ESPN. Kuminga will be a starter alongside Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert on the West contender.
Alongside Minnesota Timberwolves big Rudy Gobert, Wemby anchored a fierce interior defense that propelled Les Bleus to a quick double-digit lead, though Sylvain Francisco ultimately netted a team-high 20 points, just ahead of Wembanyama’s 19.
Rudy Gobert: Solid week. Jon Krawczynski: Incredible video from the week in Paris. Rudy Gobert, from what I’m told, covered the whole team’s expenses in Paris, lined up workouts and team building activities and made sure the trip was a resounding success. Quite a gesture from the vet.
Rudy Gobert has some company in France. The Minnesota Timberwolves star big man is spending the offseason in his home country, but that clearly does not mean that he’s far away from his teammates. In fact, Anthony Edwards, LaMelo Ball and many other Minnesota players flew across the pond and met up with the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award winner in Paris. Here is a photo of Gobert with his Timberwolves teammates against the backdrop of the marvelous structure the “Stifle Tower” is nicknamed after.
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Rudy Gobert’s teammates have helped him embrace the role Minnesota needs him to play, while his pride and confidence continue to drive him. “He’s driven by pride,” Chris Finch concluded. “He’s confident, and he has every reason to believe he’s a good player because he really is. He’s a first-ballot Hall of Famer.”
According to Finch, Gobert’s mistakes attract disproportionate attention, while much of his defensive work goes unnoticed. “All the things Rudy does at a very high level in the background aren’t always recognized. His mistakes, on the other hand, are very visible, so it’s easy for people to point them out. I think it’s unfortunate how much criticism he receives.”
No matter where LeBron decides to go, it would be seen as him chasing rings, since almost every team in the league already has stars. "Where does Charles and the legends want LeBron to go? Do they want him to go to the G League? Because if he went to Cleveland, is that team stacked? Is Miami with Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo is that team stacked? Jokic and Jamal Murray is that team stacked? Ant Edwards, Rudy Gobert I don’t know; he left Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves is that not? I don’t understand the premise of the complaint," Windhorst said in response.
The Minnesota Timberwolves threw everything they possibly could at LeBron James to try to persuade him to chase a championship with them. Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball got on the phone with him. Alex Rodriguez led ownership’s pitch given their common ground as superstar athletes who have become business moguls. Tim Connelly’s longstanding working relationship with Rich Paul helped the two have extended conversations on the fit for James in Minnesota. Throughout the process, team sources said, the Timberwolves felt like James and his camp were giving them full consideration for his 24th season. Those sources spoke on condition of anonymity to be able to speak candidly about private negotiations. They always knew it was a long shot, but the prospect of putting James in a starting lineup alongside Edwards, Ball, Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert was something they had to pursue all the way to the end.
