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The 56-year-old tactician emphasized the mathematical impact of those missed calls, noting that even a few errors carry massive weight. “So, let’s just say they were four. That’s eight points. The value of eight points in an NBA game is massive, right? That’s also 33% of his blocks were goaltending, uncalled,” he added. “We are going to keep coming. We got to make some better decisions on how we attack the rim, but all credit to the guys for not being discouraged, because we should have walked away with another eight points.” French starting center Rudy Gobert echoed his coach’s sentiments, albeit with a lighter tone. When asked how many of Wemby’s blocks should have been whistled, he estimated, “He fouled me on the first one, but if you look at them, probably three or four.” He later mentioned with a laugh, “I wished I had that kind of treatment too.”
As they prepare for the longest battle of their friendship, Gobert is most proud of who his protege has become. “It’s pretty amazing to see that he’s one of a kind — and not just physically. He’s a special soul, a special person, and I really care about (him),” Gobert said. “I really try to be there for him and, obviously, it’s way beyond basketball. I want him to be good, be well. It’s something that I truly care about.”
When Wembanyama was diagnosed with a blood clot in his shoulder in February 2025, Gobert reached out to offer support and guidance. He could feel the devastation coming from Wembanyama to not be able to play or train. The path of his protege’s life had been put on hold, creating a feeling of aimlessness in the immediate aftermath. “I remember him being very frustrated, not being able to play,” Gobert said. “But he has grown so much from that experience, because it made him realize that nothing is granted in life.”
The NBA’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year meeting the man who has won the most of them in league history. The 7-foot-4 prodigy who is reshaping the game against the 7-foot-1 veteran who has mastered the skill of containing it. A meeting of the player taking over the game and the big brother who prepared him for this moment. “I love trying to give him everything he needs, to answer all his questions,” Gobert said. “(I) try to be the best mentor I can be for him.”
Gobert could have talked trash about the game. He also could have imparted some wisdom on getting his health back so his game could finally reach the next level. But Gobert has been doing that for years already. He had a different challenge for Wembanyama instead. “Ask him if he can beat me at chess without the timer bailing him out,” Gobert told The Athletic with a sly grin.
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They now have to ruin each other’s current chapters in a story that is nearly 10 years in the making. “He’s completely free on the court, and he’s really starting to master his craft, even though he still has a lot of growth upon him,” Gobert said of Wembanyama. “It’s pretty amazing to see that he’s (22), but also, he’s already mastering his craft. Obviously, I think a lot of the growth that he had is going to be physical. Keep getting stronger, keep being more resistant.”
Gobert is known for his daily focus on yoga and meditation. He once went on a 64-hour darkness retreat in 2023 to focus on his mind-body connection, a journey that parallels Wembanyama’s 10-day venture out to a Shaolin temple last summer. Both seek different perspectives on training while yearning to understand the connection between their career pursuits and their sense of self. “We have so many conversations about how to maximize your physical potential, but it’s much deeper than that,” Gobert said. “It’s (about) how to maximize our spiritual and mental potential, and Victor is a very curious kid.”
Dane Moore: Asked Rudy Gobert what surprised him about Victor Wembanyama when they were teammates during the Olympics. "A few weeks ago he asked me what kind of filter I had in my house for water. It just tells you how his mind is. I try to talk to the young guys here about the food they eat and stuff like that. But I don't get those type of questions." Ant hasn't asked you about water filters? "Never. Not yet. I pray for that day."
Victor Wembanyama is relishing the opportunity to face his mentor, Rudy Gobert, in the upcoming Western Conference Semifinals of the 2026 NBA Playoffs, presented by Google. “It’s even more fun if I’m meant to play against Rudy,” he previewed the French matchup during a media session following team practice on Friday. “As a role model, there are a lot of things that he inspired me, but I’m sure he inspired more people in terms of taking care of their bodies. He should be a role model for all big men,” he stated, highlighting Gobert’s influence on his career and the league at large.
Maxime Aubin: Victor Wembanyama on facing Rudy Gobert in the playoffs: “It's great. We're already lucky to face him regularly during the regular season, and it's tough to play against him, it's demanding. He's played a huge role in my journey, has been a role model, has inspired me in so many ways that should actually inspire more people, especially when it comes to the care given to the body, which is an example for all big men.”
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Yet Rudy Gobert has always been a positive contributor in the playoffs, even amid the angst about his limitations. For instance, everyone remembers Luka Doncic's game winner in Gobert's face in the 2024 Western Conference finals. But what people probably don't remember is that throughout that postseason, the Timberwolves dominated the minutes that Gobert played and were themselves dominated when he sat. Overall, across Gobert's four postseasons with Minnesota, the team has a net rating that's 7.8 points higher with Gobert on the court versus when he's off, per databallr. That's the second-best margin on the team, behind only McDaniels' 8.9.
Dane Moore: Rudy Gobert's individual scoring this season, especially against Denver, was often a product of the way Denver guards Anthony Edwards -- putting two on Edwards in pick and roll, with Gobert rolling behind the defense happening at the point of attack. Without Edwards in Game 5, Gobert didn't score his first basket until there were 20 seconds left in the 3rd quarter. And I would say, not coincidentally, Game 5 was Gobert's least effective defensive game of the series -- continuing a pattern from the regular season of lacking offensive involvement leading to lacking defensive impact.
Dane Moore: Asked Finch at practice today about what Gobert's involvement in the offense needs to looks like in a world without Edwards. "I didn't like our screening. I didn't think we screened well as part of our execution. I thought it was part of our soft mentality the other day. That's certainly a place where Rudy can be involved offensively... And Rudy will be involved in the game offensively. He can go to the glass. We can still find him in the roll, no doubt. But primarily he needs to keep the defense up."
League sources say that the Mavericks continue to have strong interest in the pursuit of Wolves lead executive Tim Connelly, who is suddenly awash in plaudits given how much damage two players he traded for — Rudy Gobert and Ayo Dosunmu — are inflicting upon a third-seeded Denver team that Connelly also largely assembled. Dallas is searching for a new head of basketball operations and, while Connelly is said to no longer hold an opt-out provision in his current contract, belief persists in various league circles that there are scenarios that would render him "gettable" once Minnesota's 2025-26 season is complete.
