Jazz Center Rudy Gobert Named to NBA All-Defensive First-Team, Passes Two HoFers on All-Time List
For the sixth straight year, Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been named to the NBA All-Defensive squad as a first-teamer. The Athletic's Shams Charania reported the first and second-team All-Defensive lineups.
"2021-22 NBA All-Defensive teams:
First team: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Mikal Bridges, Rudy Gobert, Jaren Jackson Jr., Marcus Smart
Second team: Bam Adebayo, Draymond Green, Jrue Holiday, Matisse Thybulle, Robert Williams III," Charania tweeted May 20.
A deserving honor for Utah's three-time All-Star and three-time Defensive Player of the Year. By landing on the NBA's All-Defensive First-Team again this year, Gobert passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon for the most first-team selections by a center in league history.
Gobert shared the record with KAJ and Olajuwon with five prior to earning his sixth first-team selection. Gobert is no longer nipping at the heels of all-timers — he has surpassed them.
But how much will that serve him in the present? As it stands, the 7-foot-1 Gobert has been embroiled in one offseason rumor after another as the NBA world speculates on what the future holds for the Jazz's star center.
Gobert is a phenomenal asset and fearsome presence smack-dab in the middle of Utah's defense. There's no taking that away from him.
The flip side is Gobert's upside as an offensive threat — in the modern NBA — is rather limited, which is why so many in the national media wonder whether he's a good fit to remain on a team led by Donovan Mitchell. It's too soon to say what'll ultimately become of Gobert but recent reports from insiders close to the Jazz indicate that the team, if it opted to trade one of its stars, would deal away the defensive guy before the dynamic offensive weapon.
However, countervailing reports have the Jazz keeping both Gobert and Mitchell and looking beyond them to the next tier of talent on-roster like Mike Conley, Bojan Bogdanovich, or Royce O'Neale as potential assets to dangle on the trade market.
Only time will tell how it all shakes out but for now, congratulations are in order for the big guy for earning a place on the NBA's hallowed All-Defensive team.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
