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“Don’t Hate The Playa”: Kendrick Perkins Defends “Overrated” Rudy Gobert With Stamp of Approval

Published 04/27/2024, 1:53 PM EDT

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A controversy erupted when Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was called the most overrated player. Despite his contributions, ‘The Athletics’ survey had a majority of people calling out Gobert. 142 players were surveyed out of which 81 answered and a large number of them labeled him overrated. This was shocking enough since the 31-year-old is prepping to win his fourth ‘Defensive Player of the Year’ award.

Taking cognizance of the same, former Boston Celtics star Kendrick Perkins has come forward to Gobert’s side. While the NBA world looked to be against Gobert, Perkins’s take on the same brought a lot of joy to the disappointed Gobert fans. He supported Gobert which marked his ability to recognize exceptional talent.

“And they had the nerve to vote ole Rudy Gobert the most OVERRATED player in the league? Don’t hate the playa… hate the game! Keep shinin on em Rudy! CARRY THE HELL ON…,” Perkins posted on his official X account on Saturday. 

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And it is true that Gobert has performed exceptionally well this season. He has nabbed an astounding 12.9 rebounds per game with 14 points per game Therefore, he has scored a double-double. As per SI, Timberwolves head coach Chris Finch has been a vocal supporter of Gobert, crediting him for helping his team evade disheartening losses.

This was reflected during the conference quarter-finals against the Phoenix Suns as the Timberwolves stamped a 3-0 victory as of now. Gobert’s contribution was quite visible as he seized 16 and 14 rebounds in match 1 and 3 respectively. Even during the second game he held the Suns behind his wall and grabbed 9 rebounds. All these stats certainly cannot deny Gobert’s commitment to playing top-notch basketball. And with his zeal, the Timberwolves can look forward with hope and optimism.

Rudy Gobert treks along with the Minnesota Timberwolves in hope of a title

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The Timberwolves would try to wrap up the result by winning their fourth consecutive match against the Phoenix Suns. And advance to the semi-finals in the process. This year’s NBA will see a lot of giants clash against each other. But as they say “Fortune favors the brave”, the Timberwolves too will stand tall, upping the ante.

On the other hand, Gobert already knows his worth and has nothing to prove. Still, the upcoming matches will highlight this fact and hopefully Gobert will clinch his fourth defensive title. Furthermore, his team will also hopefully be able to bag a Championship title this season.

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Written by:

Ritvan Pande

538Articles

One take at a time

Ritvan Pande is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. He covers Perspectives and Classics as the expert in the longform coverage. Inspired by the fabled Chicago Bulls trio of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman, Ritvan captures the staggering court encounters in the same competitive style.
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Edited by:

Caroline Joseph