Donovan Mitchell had a step on his defender and as he got the basket, the guard, with his 6-10 wingspan and otherworldly athleticism, opted for a reverse layup, using the iron to give himself just a little more space. It’s a bucket the Utah Jazz guard has made countless times before. This time, though, Rudy Gobert was wearing a different jersey.
In a moment that surely left Jazz fans torn, Gobert denied Mitchell’s attempt at the rim, securing a historic 89-79 win for France and knocking Team USA out of medal contention in the FIBA World Cup.
Rudy Gobert was the best player in that game.