Rudy Gobert has made a living on proving people wrong. He’s been passed on, overlooked, underappreciated, and misevaluated. This has shaped his entire being and made him the intense competitor that he is.
Gobert was selected 27th in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, later to be traded to the Utah Jazz for a second-round pick and cash considerations. 26 NBA prospects were drafted before Gobert, and he hasn’t forgotten about it. He wears the number 27 on his jersey to keep him reminded of this and to maintain his mental edge in preparing, training, and performing.