Jazz Gobert Earns Fifth All-Defensive First Team Honors
Jun 14, 2021, 5:07 PM | Updated: 5:10 pm
Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz blocks a shot by Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets during the first half of Game Two of a first round playoff game at AdventHealth Arena at ESPN Wide World Of Sports Complex on August 19, 2020 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ashley Landis-Pool/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, California – Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been named to his fifth consecutive NBA All-Defensive First team.
Gobert was a shoo-in after winning the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year Award last week, marking the third time in four seasons Gobert has earned the honor.
Gobert now has eight All-League honors to his name. In addition to his five All-Defensive team selections, Gobert has also earned All-NBA honors in 2017, 2019, and 2020.
Congrats to Rudy Gobert for earning All-Defensive first team honors for the fifth time in his NBA career. #TakeNote pic.twitter.com/t5KPARMxaq
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) June 14, 2021
The two-time All-Star led the Jazz to the third-best defense in the NBA and the best overall record this season. Gobert led the NBA in raw plus-minus at +728, ranked second in blocks per game at 2.7, and second in rebounds per game at 13.5 en route to All-Defensive Team honors.
In his bid for Defensive Player of the Year, Gobert earned 84 first-place votes, 69 more than Philadelphia 76ers guard Ben Simmons.
Gobert was the only player to show up on every ballot for the Defensive Player of the Year.
The Jazz star is joined on the all-defensive team by Simmons, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Bucks guard Jrue Holiday.
2020-21 NBA All-Defensive teams:
First team: Rudy Gobert, Ben Simmons, Draymond Green, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday
Second team: Bam Adebayo, Jimmy Butler, Joel Embiid, Matisse Thybulle, Kawhi Leonard
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 14, 2021
The All-Defensive second team was comprised of 76ers center Joel Embiid, 76ers guard Matisse Thybulle, Miami Heat forward Bam Adebayo, Heat guard Jimmy Butler, and Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard.
