The tears of last year after his non-selection are forgotten. Rudy Gobert is an "All Star", an NBA star. On the night of Sunday to Monday, the pivot of the France team will participate in the All Star Game of the NBA in Chicago (United States) with the best players on the planet.
The trophy will now be called the Kobe Bryant Award, in honor of the former Los Angeles Lakers player killed in a helicopter crash on January 26, NBA President Adam Silver announced on Saturday.
He is only the third Frenchman to be invited to this table of kings after Tony Parker (2006, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014) and Joakim Noah (2013 and 2014). He confides in us his pride.
What is it like to be an NBA All Star?
RUDY GOBERT. It's an honor, something I've been waiting for a while. It's cool to finally have this recognition.
It is a relief ?
There is that. The last two times, I thought I was there. This time, I almost said to myself that it was inevitable but as long as it was not official ... The day it happened, we played in the evening in Denver. We had to learn it around 5 pm after the pre-game nap. Except that the info leaked and when I woke up at 4:45 pm, I already had lots of congratulatory messages on my phone.
Very grateful to have to the opportunity to represent the @utahjazz in Chicago with my brother @spidadmitchell! Never stop chasing your dreams! đź”® https://t.co/8d1O6tRMRu
- Rudy Gobert (@ rudygobert27) January 31, 2020Who did you think of?
To my loved ones, my family, everyone who knows how hard I work to get there. They are all very proud and happy for me.
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You are only the third Frenchman selected for an All Star Game…
Between the three of us, we can't even make a team (laughs) … It's an immense pride to follow in the footsteps of Tony and Joakim. They too have strongly marked French basketball. It's my turn. I haven't yet talked to them about how to approach an appointment like this but it will be cool when we can do it. It's always good to interact with legends.
How do you approach this very special meeting?
First I plan to have fun, that's the goal of this kind of very festive weekend. I'll be with Donovan ( Editor's note: Mitchell, his Jazz teammate ). We will make the most of the moment with our loved ones. I will appreciate. We will also try to win the match.
Has your NBA status changed since selection?
No, respect remains the same. But players like Damian Lillard (Portland) came to congratulate me. Many have said to me: "Finally, you are taken! "
Is this your greatest reward, beyond that of NBA defender of the year in 2018 and 2019?
No, it is not beyond. The best defender in the NBA, there is only one in the world per year. There it is different.
Did an All Star Game from the past impress you?
I already played one in Brooklyn in the rookie match ( note: NBA first-year players who play the day before the All Star Game ). In Toronto in 2016, I also went to spend a few days. Otherwise, in other years, I took advantage of the weekend to take a break from the sun.
The evening will be marked by a huge tribute to Kobe Bryant. America is not recovering…
It's a shock that changes your outlook: you realize that you can own everything, but that your life can change in a second. This is why we must take advantage of simple things, of every moment and tell people we care about that we love them before it is too late.
What memory do you have of him?
I have played against him several times. I remember that I countered his very special shoot. He didn't expect it at all. After the match, we crossed paths when we left the room. He said to me, "This is the first time someone has fired this shot. Until then, I always managed to get over it! "
Did he follow you particularly?
The Jazz weren't a big team at the time, but he told me he believed in us. As for me, he saw me having a good career. He told me that he was following my evolution. I was still a young NBA player and when Kobe Bryant tells you that, it necessarily affects you.
We're ONE WEEK AWAY from the 2020 TNBAllStar Game on TNT! pic.twitter.com/p5tl5PubHT
- 2020 NBA All-Star (@NBAAllStar) February 10, 2020The All Star Game takes place in Chicago, at Michael Jordan's home. Did it inspire you?
I was born in 1992, the year of the Dream Team. As a kid, I watched his movie "Space Jam", but I didn't know much about basketball. I got passionate at 13-14 years old and became interested in him, in everything he had brought to basketball.
There will be another NBA game in Paris in 2021. Could you be there?
It's far away and we're already the team that flies the most miles by plane per season. If we add a trip to Paris in the middle of a very trying season, it can be difficult. I saw the images of the match in Paris, it was fantastic. It would be a great experience but I am divided. You have to cross the Atlantic…
Your next goal: the NBA title?
Obviously, there is nothing above. But it's the hardest thing to win in the NBA.
All your dreams become possible, so this one too, right?
I was told that I would not play in the NBA, I got there. I was told that I will not be All Star, I am there. I am told that I will not be NBA champion? We'll see. Through hard work, anything is possible.
