Rudy Gobert gets unflattering distinction in vote from his NBA peers

Nov 9, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (27) dribbles the ball against the Phoenix Suns during the second quarter at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports

Rudy Gobert is clearly still not the NBA’s Mr. Popular.

The Athletic released the results this week of an anonymous NBA player poll that they recently conducted. One question asked in the poll was “Who’s the league’s most overrated player?”

In the end, it was the Minnesota Timberwolves center Gobert who ran away with the vote. Of 81 total responses, Gobert earned a clear plurality with 13.6 percent (making for 11 total votes). That was sizably above the second- and third-place finishers — Washington’s Jordan Poole (at 8.6 percent) and Atlanta’s Trae Young (7.4 percent).

Here is the full list.

NBA players have voted Rudy Gobert as the most overrated player

(Via https://t.co/fOzCR8ak3L) pic.twitter.com/htW4eIcT4I

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 22, 2024

Of course, that does not mean that Gobert is objectively overrated. He is a three-time Defensive Player of the Year winner (who may be well on his way to winning a fourth this year) and has also earned four total career All-NBA selections despite playing in a new golden age of sorts for big men. You don’t earn all those accolades without being deserving.

Instead, what the poll indicates is that Gobert is not well-liked by his peers, which is something that we have already known for years. Other than his sworn enemy Draymond Green, Gobert is also unpopular among many other NBA players for some reason. Even one of Gobert’s current star teammates used to have it out for him before they teamed up.