Life’s been hard for Rudy Gobert these past few months. It started with his upsetting performance at the Paris Olympics. The French coach minimized his usage during the pivotal stages of the tournament. Then recently, a haunting jab from an old foe, Shaquille O’Neal calling him the worst player of all, time hit him in the jaw. At first, Gobert responded with a few stinging words. But his recent actions make it seem like he wants to send a warning.

The French connection was seen strong in the Wolves center using a unique form of training – Mixed Martial Arts. A video of him training with the UFC’s former interim heavyweight champion Ciryl Gane recently surfaced. Gane and Gobert have previously had great interactions in the past, with both of them upholding immense respect for each other. The Wolves center congratulated him during his UFC 265 knockout win against Derrick Lewis.

In the video, the reigning DPOY showed a trailer of what his hands could do if it came down to business. He sparred with his combat fighter friend, learning to protect himself and inflict damage with his long wingspan. However, he still seems to be a rookie in the fight game. Gane, having an abundance of experience did get a sneaky shot at the Frenchman, prompting laughter around the gym.

It seems to be an unconventional way of training. But boxing and other combat sports require athletes to exert great amounts of energy. It vastly improves conditioning and stamina. NBA players such as Damian Lillard and Tyler Herro have previously indulged in boxing with the former sharing a genuine passion for the art.

Gobert could be doing it for gaining more strength and being prepared for the upcoming season. NBA fans though came up with the wildest assumptions.

NBA fans ask Draymond Green to be careful when he sees Rudy Gobert

Over the course of his career, Rudy Gobert has faced the brunt of several NBA players. A regular mention though seems to be Draymond Green. And after last season, some fans believe it’s time for payback. “DRAYMOND BETTER WATCH OUT NOW” a fan wrote.

The most notorious story from last season was when Draymond Green put the 32-year-old center in a literal chokehold during their In-Season Tournament clash. The entire arena went wild, and Green received a hefty punishment.

Continuing along the trend of those who have criticized Gobert, Shaq’s recent jabs are still fresh in Gobert’s mind. Being called the worst player in the history of the NBA isn’t an easy pill to swallow. Fans feel his fight training is a way to put an end to the Big Diesel’s repeated attacks. “Rudy’s training to fight Shaq lol he’s tired of the bullying” a fan commented.

Shaq and Rudy Gobert share a long history. And it isn’t predominantly one-sided. In the past, the French center has said he would ‘lock up’ Shaquille O’Neal if they ever did meet on the basketball floor. Likewise, the Superman has continued to jab the rim protector since then, often commenting on his exorbitant contract.

But what about his offseason basketball training? A group of NBA fans were far more interested in seeing how Gobert is working on his skills rather than seeing him indulge in fighting. One comment read, “Bro rather try and box than actually learning a jumpshot”.

Gobert’s offensive game has often been a point of discussion when debating his utility. In fact, Shaq has joked about it mercilessly in the past. He called him an inspiration to kids saying “You average 11 points in the NBA, you can get $200 million”. Although. it’s fair to consider that Rudy Gobert has never been considered to be a scoring talent.

Still, the ardent followers of the game are aware that Gobert is entering the last year of his contract with the Timberwolves. Next season, he will be eligible to sign a larger extension. And they feel he needs to add tools to his game to be able to get the most amount from his next extension.

“Bro started boxing before adding an offensive game as a max contract player” a fan commented on the situation. Despite his little involvement in Minnesota’s offensive schemes, the team has relayed their interest in keeping him there long-term. As a shot blocker, Rudy Gobert is arguably among the best and Minnesota highly values his presence on the defensive end.