Minnesota Timberwolves: 1 All-Star Deemed By NBA Peers As Most Overrated Player

Gobert won the unenviable distinction of the NBA’s most overrated player based on the player votes from The Athletic’s poll. The T-Wolves center was the lone player to receive a double-digit percentage mark among votes cast at 13.6%.

In all fairness to Gobert, only 81 of the 142 respondents answered the questions. Simple math points to a total of 11 players voting for Gobert. The figure is not too huge given that there are over 450 players in the NBA. But it’s still indicative of some negative sentiment toward Gobert among his peers.

Here’s part of the blurb on the top from The Athletic’s piece by Sam Amick and Josh Robbins:

There’s just something about Gobert’s game that his peers don’t like. Maybe the skepticism stems from a lack of playoff success, as none of Gobert’s teams have advanced to the conference finals. Or maybe it all traces back to the bubble in 2020 when the Clippers’ Terance Mann buried all those 3s over Gobert in the West semifinals and sparked serious scrutiny about the perceived limitations of the big man’s game.

Polarizing As He Is, Minnesota Timberwolves Star Rudy Gobert Has A Pretty Strong Resume

Gobert has earned three All-Star nods and three Defensive Player of the Year awards. He’s also made 4 All-NBA teams throughout his 11-year NBA career. There’s also a very real possibility that he earns his 4th DPOY award this season, much to the dismay of one disgruntled Los Angeles Lakers rival.

Gobert may rub some players the wrong way given his polarizing presence on the court. His defensive prowess at the rim is undeniable. But his offense is limited enough that he’s been schemed out of lineups during the postseason in the past.

But if Gobert shows out in this current playoff run and the Timberwolves have a deep playoff run, the Stifle Tower could very well convert some former haters into believers.