Rudy Gobert, Who Isn't Playing To Expectations, Says Some Fans Don't 'Understand What I Bring To The Table'

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Rudy Gobert isn't playing anywhere close to the expectations the Minnesota Timberwolves and NBA fans expected him to at this point of the season. Despite his lackluster start to the season, Gobert doesn't think he deserves all the criticism he's getting from some fans.

The Timberwolves traded away five players and four first-round draft picks in exchange for Gobert in July hoping he'd be a great fit alongside Karl-Anthony Towns. While Towns has missed a good chunk of the season with an injury, Gobert doesn't seem to fit in at all with the T-Wolves.

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Rudy Gobert thinks some NBA fans don't understand basketball. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Not only is Minnesota 16-19 on the year, Gobert is having his worst statistical season since the 2017-18 campaign averaging just 13.8 points per game and 12 rebounds.

When it comes to shot blocking - by far Gobert's strongest attribute - he's averaging 1.3 per game which is the lowest of his career outside of his rookie campaign.

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Apparently, numbers don't tell the whole story, at least that's the defense Gobert is going with amid his lackluster season. He just doesn't think the average fan understands the game of basketball.

“The average fan might not understand what I bring to the table,” Gobert told the New York Times, “but the G.M.s in the league do.”

Calling NBA fans dumb - which is essentially what Gobert is doing here - is a bold strategy for a struggling player his team traded away its foreseeable future for.

While they haven't been fully health for most of the season, the Timberwolves haven't resembled anything close to a threat to contend in the Western Conference.

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Mark covers all sports at OutKick while keeping a close eye on the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and all other happenings in the world of golf. He graduated from the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga before earning his master's degree in journalism from the University of Tennessee. He somehow survived living in Knoxville despite ‘Rocky Top’ being his least favorite song ever written. Before joining OutKick, he wrote for various outlets including SB Nation, The Spun, and BroBible. Mark was also a writer for the Chicago Cubs Double-A affiliate in 2016 when the team won the World Series. He's still waiting for his championship ring to arrive. Follow him on Twitter @itismarkharris.