NBA playoffs 2024: Why do so many players have beef with Rudy Gobert? - ESPN

RUDY GOBERT NEEDED to go soul-searching after the Minnesota Timberwolves' first-round playoff exit last spring.

It had been a difficult and stressful year for Gobert. He had hoped to spend his entire career with the Utah Jazz but was traded to Minnesota when the Jazz opted to rebuild, jump-starting that process by receiving five first-round picks in the deal. The massive return, normally reserved for superstar scorers, resulted in heavy scrutiny toward the 7-foot-1 defensive anchor.

The Timberwolves struggled as Gobert dealt with knee issues and a calf injury sidelined fellow 7-footer Karl-Anthony Towns for much of the season. Minnesota went 42-40, needing the second play-in game to secure the Western Conference's eighth seed. And Gobert didn't get a single vote for the All-Defensive teams, snapping a streak of six straight first-team selections.

So Gobert reached out to NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers, seeking insight from one of sports' most polarizing players after being connected by a mutual acquaintance.

But he didn't want to discuss professional challenges with Rodgers, who had just been traded to the New York Jets after a legendary 18-year run with the Green Bay Packers. Gobert wanted to inquire about Rodgers' experience at the Sky Cave Dark Retreats in southern Oregon.

Gobert has always been «eclectic,» to use two-time teammate Mike Conley's description. He often wears necklaces and rings that feature crystals and gems that supposedly possess healing powers and provide energy. Gobert had long been intrigued by the idea of a darkness retreat.

«We are so distracted by everything that's been thrown at us,» Gobert told ESPN. «Everything that we hear, we watch, we see on the phone, we listen to. So we don't get to