The Minnesota Timberwolves have a defensive juggernaut on their team in the form of Rudy Gobert. In the 2024/25 season, Gobert has the best defensive rating of any player in his team at 108.7. However, Rudy missed the Oklahoma City Thunder game before the All-Star break and is OUT for the game against the Houston Rockets. But thanks to an insider, we finally know why.

Star Tribune reporter Chris Hine revealed on X that Rudy is suffering from back spasms that seem extremely debilitating. “Just an informal observation but Gobert (back spasms) looked about as comfortable sitting in the locker room as I did one summer when I threw my back out working a construction job.” Yikes!

The Minnesota Timberwolves haven’t provided us with an official update yet. However, Hines’ report does not bode well at all for the T-Wolves’ veteran big man. From the sound of it, Gobert may be out for a while due to this back injury. The 4x Defensive Player of the Year leaves big shoes to fill.

And why exactly is that?

Gobert is like an immovable wall inside the Minnesota defense. His very presence torments opposition attackers and for good reason. No one has more rebounds or blocks in the Minnesota squad than Gobert. However, his backup big man, Naz Reid, stepped up big time in Gobert’s absence against the OKC Thunder. No one expected Naz to break the 20-point barrier after playing second fiddle for so long. But that’s exactly what he did with his double-double showing against the Thunder. He ended the game with an incredible 27 points and 14 rebounds! Sadly, despite his offensive prowess, his defense just isn’t at the level of Gobert. But let’s be honest, how many players do you know that can hold a candle to Rudy Gobert in that regard?

Nevertheless, a few games for the Minnesota Timberwolves may not be all Rudy Gobert misses this year. Fans of the French national team may also be in for disappointment. Rudy made some comments recently that probably won’t sit well with you if you’re from France.

French fans may miss out on seeing Rudy Gobert at this year’s Eurobasket

In late August this year, European basketball fans will have the pleasure of watching the best players in the continent of Europe go head-to-head at the Eurobasket. However, it seems the French faithful may now miss out on seeing both Victor Wembanyama and Rudy Gobert play for their national team this year. Why?

Well, Wembanyama just had his season ended because of a serious illness whose treatment prohibits him from playing contact sports. But Rudy? His case is entirely different. “I haven’t made my decision yet…We’ll see. There are actually a lot of factors. It’s true that I also just had a baby who’s 9 months old now. All of that has to be taken into account. We’ll see by the end of the season,” he said in an interview with beIN Sports.

France just confirmed their 40th Eurobasket appearance a few hours ago after beating Croatia 83-80. This marks their 23rd consecutive Eurobasket appearance. Impressive, isn’t it? But it wasn’t an easy run for them! The French National Team dominated Group E, managing to qualify with a game remaining in their qualifiers schedule. However, the complicated criteria meant that even their 4-0 record didn’t guarantee qualification. Thankfully, coach Frederic Fauthoux’s men were able to step up and ensure a trip to this year’s competition.

However, despite their joy at qualifying, the French faithful will feel let down by the potential absences of Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama this summer. But the competition is still months away. This leaves some time for Rudy’s mind to sway. And who knows? Maybe the absence of Wemby will force Rudy’s hand and he’ll end up playing in the continental competition after all. But he needs to recover from his back injury before anything else!