SALT LAKE CITY — Rudy Gobert held it together for over six minutes, but eventually the emotion became too much.
Eighteen hours after surprisingly being omitted from the Western Conference All-Star team, the Utah Jazz center met with local media Friday morning after the team’s shootaround in preparation for the evening’s game against the Atlanta Hawks.
Asked about being motivated to succeed regardless of being named an All-Star, the big Frenchman said, “It’s always going to be that way” before he put his hand to his eyes and said, “Sorry” before walking off.
That moment was a culmination of a wide range of emotions Gobert said he’s had since he found out he didn’t make it as he watched TNT Thursday night like the rest of the world.