Basketball: Rudy Gobert, giant and new golden boy of French sport
The French pivot of Utah Jazz, Rudy Gobert, on January 4, 2020 against the Orlando Magic.
AP - John Raoux
Text by: Nicolas Bamba Follow
6 min
Rudy Gobert extended his contract with the Utah Jazz on Sunday, December 20, for five more years and $ 205 million (167.2 million euros).
The French basketball player thus becomes the highest paid French sportsman in history.
With this golden contract, the 2.16m pivot announced the color: with Jazz and in particular his sidekick Donovan Mitchell, “Gobzilla” is aiming for the title.
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Jackpot for “The Stifle Tower” (“La Tour de Défense”), one of the nicknames of the Frenchy of Salt Lake City.
The announcement fell on Sunday: after weeks of negotiations, Rudy Gobert extended his lease with the Utah Jazz, the NBA franchise where he landed in 2013. And what an extension.
The basketball player is committed for five more years, which will bring him $ 205 million (167.2 million euros).
At 28 years old, Rudy Gobert moves into a new dimension.
He becomes the most expensive pivot in NBA history as well as the highest paid French sportsman in history.
In the NBA, only two men had or still have a better contract than him: the
Greek double-MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo
(228 million dollars, or 186 million euros, with the Milwaukee Bucks), and Russell Westbrook (who had extended with the Oklahoma Thunder in 2017 for $ 206.8 million, or 168 million euros, before joining the Washington Wizards in early December).
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He could claim the "supermax"
These figures and the financial effort made by Jazz show the full scope and importance of Rudy Gobert.
And to think that he could have claimed an even better contract!
Like Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Frenchman could ask for a "supermax" contract of 228 million dollars.
But he assures
ESPN that
he refused to ask as much of his franchise, because that would have reduced his room for maneuver while everyone wants to aim higher in 2020-2021: “
I decided that I would not ask for the supermax.
We didn't want to start the discussion like that.
It was important for me to show the franchise that it wasn't about the money.
"
The negotiations between the two parties still last.
The Jazz had a deadline in mind during the talks: if Gobert did not extend before December 21, he was free to leave.
Eventually, a golden common ground was found in time between a franchise and a closely related player.
"I'm here to win a title"
As soon as his signature was affixed, the French international split a declaration of love and ambition to Utah Jazz and his fans on social networks.
Proud of his career, Rudy Gobert thanked his family, his teammates and his entourage, before setting the scene for the 2020-2021 season which opens on Tuesday: "
I am here over time, and I am here to win a title.
I'm here to win with my brothers, I'm here to win with coach Q (Quin Snyder) and I'm here to win with you, Utah.
"
Dear Utah ... pic.twitter.com/S806F4oZ6d
- Rudy Gobert (@ rudygobert27) December 20, 2020
With an annual salary of $ 41.2 million (33.5 million euros) which places him at the top of the best paid French athletes according to
Forbes
magazine in
front of footballers Kylian Mbappé ($ 33.8 million, or 27.6 million euros), Paul Pogba (28.5 million dollars, or 23.4 million euros) and Antoine Griezmann (26.7 million dollars, or 21.9 million euros), Rudy Gobert will automatically have more pressure on his shoulders now.
And he's ready to take it on, as he told
L'Equipe
: “
Of course, contracts like this are important moments in a career, but it never really dictated my way. be.
The most important thing for me is going to be the story, the things accomplished on and off the pitch.
This is what motivates me every day to continue to progress.
I have the feeling that my best years are ahead of me.
I don't think I'm at my best today.
I continue to improve every day, every year and we will see what the future holds for me.
"
Gobert-Mitchell, the two (re) make the pair
This extension comes to end an extraordinary year 2020 for the 28-year-old Frenchman.
Last March, Rudy Gobert found himself in turmoil, as the pandemic of the new coronavirus spread.
After an interview, he wanted to joke by voluntarily touching the microphones in front of him ... before learning shortly after that he had
Covid-19
.
In the process, the NBA announced the suspension of the season after this first positive test of a player.
The pivot blunder - which spread as an apology - caused a breakup with fellow Jazz star Donovan Mitchell.
Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell of Utah Jazz on January 25, 2020 after beating the Dallas Mavericks.
AP - Rick Bowmer
The 24-year-old rear, affected by the virus in turn, had little taste for the attitude of his teammate.
Pissed off for weeks, the American seemed irreconcilable with Gobert.
The weather and the resumption of the season during the summer in the Orlando bubble have healed these wounds.
Right after the extension of "Gobzilla", "Spida" told the Salt Lake Tribune that this falling out is "behind us".
He also hailed Rudy Gobert as the “ultimate pro”.
He himself extended his contract with Jazz on November 22.
Together, the two leaders want to carry their franchise to the title.
An ambitious project but not unrealistic given the potential of Jazz.
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