Rudy Gobert Claims His Public Breakdown Was Misunderstood by Shaquille O’Neal & Social Media: “I Just Lost It”

Rudy Gobert might be one of the most underrated superstars in the NBA. Despite being a 3-time DPOY, he is seldom mentioned among the best Centers in the league. From disregarding his achievements to calling him “soft”, fans have not been kind to the Timberwolves star. A moment that further damaged Gobert’s reputation was when he burst out in tears during an interview after getting snubbed from the 2019 All-Star selections. Gobert’s emotional outburst was followed by massive trolling on social media. 5 years after the viral incident, the Timberwolves star opened up about the real reason he could not hold back his tears during that interview.

Despite being a private person, Rudy decided to get brutally honest with the NBA World through a detailed piece in The Players’ Tribune. He revealed that the 2019 interview still bothers him, “I think that moment, more than anything, defines how people see me in America vs. who I really am.” A moment that came straight from Gobert’s heart turned into a meme on social media. But that’s how the world works these days. While everyone believes Rudy cried because he did not make the All-Star team, the actual reason was way deeper.

“For some reason, I just lost it… I would never show emotion in front of my mom. I’m always a rock. I have to act like everything is cool. But in that moment, when I thought of her in front of all the reporters and the cameras, it’s like I turned into a kid again. It just tapped into something really raw inside of me, and it’s like everything came back to me in a surge of emotions — all the memories, and everything she did to help me live my dreams — and I just got choked up.” Gobert wrote.

Rudy Gobert does not regret shedding tears in front of the world

When Gobert cried in front of the world, he was misunderstood by many in the NBA community. Even Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal told the 3-time DPOY to “Man Up!” after hearing about the incident. But Rudy has no regrets despite getting trolled for his actions, “Honestly, you know what? I would never take it back. That was one of the most real moments that I’ve ever had in front of a TV camera.”

Gobert was proud that he was able to show his real self to the world and wanted young athletes and kids to take inspiration from his passion. He wished for every person in the world to be as passionate about something as he is about the game of basketball. “I hope kids watch that video and they see how passionate that person on their screen is. Someone that’s fighting for his dreams.”

He also had life-changing advice for kids who wish to achieve greatness, “No one should be afraid to fail, especially kids. Showing your emotions… It’s not weakness. It’s just being real.” Gobert turned that emotional moment into motivation and won his 2nd DPOY trophy the same season. He continues to dominate the league 5 years later. Gobert has been the defensive anchor for the Minnesota Timberwolves this year, averaging 14 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. And he is looking forward to continuing that dominance in the upcoming playoffs.