“I’m Just Going To Keep Winning Awards” | Gobert Breaks Into Top-10 Of Utah Scoring Books | Utah Jazz

Over the last five seasons, Rudy Gobert has emerged as one of the greatest defensive players of all time. 

From his three defensive players of the year awards to the constant criticism he receives — which only further validates his success on that end of the court — Gobert has completely shaped Utah’s future with his ability to defend multiple positions and be the preeminent shot-blocker in the league.

“If anything, when people keep talking about you, if they’re talking about you in some way, it means you’re doing something right,” Gobert said. “If anything, the more noise, the harder it becomes to take these people seriously. When you’re great at what you do, the world will recognize you for who you are and what you do. … That’s my mindset.” 

3xDPOY things #NBAAllStar | @rudygobert27 pic.twitter.com/f4NxJgNIZM

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 1, 2022

While his defensive prowess isn’t up for debate, many in the league still question Gobert’s ability as a well-rounded player. They constantly knock his perceived lack of an offensive game, thinking of him as just a dunker rather than a scorer. 

But that notion is now quickly being put to rest, especially after what happened on Sunday night in Portland. With a free throw early in the first quarter, Gobert moved into the top-10 of scoring in Utah history, passing former point guard Deron Williams in the process.

UTAH SCORING LEADERS
1.) Karl Malone — 36.374
2.) John Stockton — 19,711
3.) Andrian Dantley — 13,635
4.) Darrell Griffith — 12,391
5.) Thurl Bailey — 9,897
6.) Andrei Kirilenko — 8,411
7.) Pete Maravich — 8,324
8.) Donovan Mitchell — 8,234
9.) Gordon Hayward — 8,077
10.) Rudy Gobert — 7,592

Rudy passes Deron Williams for 10th all time in Utah Jazz scoring history #UltraMoment | @MichelobUltra pic.twitter.com/kXhZvo9AAW

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) April 11, 2022

While knowing what he brings to the team defensively, Gobert’s offensive evolution this season has been sensational.

He’s added an array of skills on the offensive side of the ball. From a eurostep to a mini jumper and the ability to play under control and find the open man, Gobert has proven that he’s somebody defenses need to account for on that end of the court.

He finished second in the NBA with 53 double-doubles on the year but has the least games played of anybody in the top-5. He averaged 15.6 points and a league-leading 14.7 rebounds per game. He shot 71.3% from the floor and 69.0% from the free throw line, which along with his rebounding total, are career-highs.

This year, Gobert also made NBA history, finishing with the best true shooting percentage in league history at 73.24%. He now holds five of the top-20 spots in the NBA.

“He did it in the preseason, he did it in training camp, and now I think that’s the level we’re going to see out of him,” Donovan Mitchell said of his teammate.

with the eruo! #TakeNote | @rudygobert27 pic.twitter.com/uSP9mi6uUv

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) November 25, 2021

It’s hard to imagine a player being considered an offensive liability when they’re in the top-10 of scoring from one of the most respected franchises in league history. Yet that’s Gobert’s reality, one he doesn’t care about as long as it leads to winning. 

“If you’re the best in the world at something, people become insecure and try to discredit you,” Gobert said. “People are going to try to discredit what I do, what we do as a team. … It’s been the same my whole career. I’m just going to keep winning awards, winning trophies, and hopefully help my team win something bigger than that.”

Rudy has passed Mark Eaton for 2nd-most rebounds in franchise history #UltraMoment | @MichelobUltra pic.twitter.com/fSB4vWA3qu

— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) March 17, 2022