NBA: Ranking every team’s best player in 2019-20

Every player on this list ahead of Rudy Gobert is there because of their offensive play; some stars are true two-way players, but without their offensive prowess they would not be as lauded as they are. In Gobert the Utah Jazz have the best of the league’s defensive stars, a rim-protecting center gifted physically and mentally to shut down opposing offenses.

He is not an offensive pushover, bringing great positioning and finishing to the table. Yet he is ultimately a dependent player on offense, Team-USA-crushing-post-ups at the FIBA World Cup notwithstanding. Defensively he needs no support; he is a one-man rim defender all by himself.

Gobert racks up blocks at an incredible rate and the box score fails to capture how many shots are not taken because of his presence. While he has less of an impact against true spread attacks, those are now a league rarity with the changing of the championship guard.

He will be valuable against every team in the Western Conference and if the Utah Jazz are to make a run to the NBA Finals it will be because Rudy Gobert shut down some combination of offensively oriented stars.

Looking ahead: The Utah Jazz are hoping this spot will be taken by young guard Donovan Mitchell, who has shown flashes of being an alpha wing. He has also shown many flashes of being inconsistent and inefficient, and he may not not be ready yet to pass Gobert.

If Mike Conley is fully healthy and locked in and Gobert takes any amount of step back, he is talented enough to be named the Jazz’ top player.