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Rudy Gobert ejected on Monday for hard foul on Suns' Mark Williams

Gobert was assessed a Flagrant 2 and tossed from the game at Target Center.
Dec 8, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) prepares to play the Phoenix Suns before the game at Target Center.
Dec 8, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) prepares to play the Phoenix Suns before the game at Target Center. | Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn Images

Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert was ejected from Monday night's game against the Suns at Target Center for a forearm shove on Mark Williams.

Around four minutes into the third quarter, Williams was going up for a dunk when Gobert extended his right arm into the Phoenix big man's ribcage area. The play was reviewed and upgraded to a Flagrant 2, which comes with immediate disqualification.

"There is wind-up and significant impact to the ribs of Williams, who is airborne and a vulnerable player with a high potential for injury," said crew chief Tyler Ford in announcing the decision. "That contact is both unnecessary and excessive."

Gobert may have put extra force into the shove in response to a play that happened a few minutes earlier. A little over a minute into the third quarter, Williams was called for a Flagrant 1 after swiping down and making contact with Gobert's head and eye — which did seem to be incidental.

With two flagrant foul points, Gobert is up to five on the season. With one more Flagrant 1, he'll receive a one-game suspension. Another Flagrant 2 would lead to a two-game suspension. This is game 24 of 82 for the Timberwolves.

Gobert will also be fined a minimum of $2,000 by the NBA.

Before being tossed, Gobert was having one of his stronger games of the season. He had 15 points and 8 rebounds in just 21 minutes of action.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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