Ranking the top 5 NBA players from the EuroBasket Semifinals
By Elaine Blum
4. It was business as usual for French star Rudy Gobert at EuroBasket.
Just like in the NBA, Rudy Gobert did not record flashy scoring numbers in his EuroBasket appearance. He did explode for 19 points in the Quarterfinals, but his main responsibility was anchoring France’s defense, which he did successfully.
In the Semifinals against Poland, Gobert only scored six points but grabbed six rebounds and blocked three shots. Thanks to Gobert, France dominated Poland at rebounding with a 40-21 advantage. Poland also only scored 16 points in the paint where Gobert was protecting the rim, compared to France’s 40 points in the paint.
The big man’s impact might not be obvious on the stat sheet, but his defense and rim protection were big factors in France’s brutal win over the underdog Poland. Gobert’s 11 total blocks were the most recorded by any player during the tournament this year, and he ranked equally well in defensive rebounding, barely ever giving any opponent the chance to be successful in the paint.
In recognition of his defensive performance, Gobert was named to the All-Tournament team and is now ready to take his shot blocking back to Minnesota.