Rudy Gobert Selected To NBA All-Defensive First Team For Third Straight Season
May 22, 2019, 12:24 PM
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) blocks the shot by Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) during NBA playoffs in Salt Lake City on Saturday, April 20, 2019. (Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
(Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The NBA announced that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert has been selected to the NBA All-Defensive First Team for the third consecutive season.
Gobert joins Oklahoma City Thunder forward Paul George, Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo, Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart and Milwaukee Bucks guard Eric Bledsoe on the first team.
The six-year NBA veteran averaged career-highs in points per game with 15.9, rebounds with 12.9 and assists per game with 2. He continued to be the anchor for the Jazz’s defense as the franchise finished in the top three in the league with a defensive rating of 105.2, which is the second best rating in the NBA.
Gobert’s .759 defensive rebound percentage is the best in the NBA from this past season.
He was awarded the NBA Defensive Player of the Year after the 2017-18 season and is a finalist this season with George and Antetokounmpo. The Jazz’s franchise center had the best box plus-minus rating of 5 in the NBA and finished second in the league in win shares with 5.7. His overall defensive rating of 100.4 is the fourth best among all qualified players.
The 2018-19 NBA All-Defensive First Team!@Giannis_An34 @EBled2 @Yg_Trece @rudygobert27 @smart_MS3 pic.twitter.com/BXj7REv1dJ
— NBA (@NBA) May 22, 2019
Gobert contested 16 shots per game, which is the second most and his 187 blocks during the 2018-19 campaign is the second best mark.
He becomes the third Jazz player in franchise history to earn three All-Defensive First Team honors, joining Karl Malone in 1997-99 and Mark Eaton in 1985, 1986 and 1989. Gobert ranks third all-time in rebounds, fourth in defensive rebounds and fifth in blocks in franchise history.
The All-Defensive Second Team includes Jrue Holiday of the New Orleans Pelicans, Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard of the Toronto Raptors, Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid.
Gobert received 196 total voting points, with 97 going to first team votes.
