Five more years at Utah Jazz, for $ 205 million (167.2 million euros): not content with winning the 3rd biggest contract in the NBA, the pivot Rudy Gobert is preparing to become the French sportsman highest paid in history.

This dizzying sum was reported by ESPN on Sunday, December 20, just before Gobert, now linked to Jazz until 2026, his fifth year being optional, confirmed the news on Twitter.

"It's a special day for me and my family (…). I'm here to stay, I'm here to win," wrote the French international, named best defender in the North American league in 2018 and 2019, in a letter to supporters of Utah, his team since 2013.

Dear Utah ... pic.twitter.com/S806F4oZ6d

- Rudy Gobert (@ rudygobert27) December 20, 2020

His emoluments taking effect from the 2021/2022 season, he will replace the trio of footballers Kylian Mbappé (Paris SG), Paul Pogba (Manchester United), Antoine Griezmann (FC Barcelona), at the current rank of the best paid French athletes.

And this on his only sports contract, when the income of his compatriots listed by Forbes include sponsorship.

In the meantime, here he is at 28 years old on the podium of basketball players who signed the biggest contracts with an NBA franchise, behind the double MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo who has just extended with Milwaukee for 228 million dollars (186 million euros) and the All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook, who in 2017 signed an additional lease with Oklahoma City for 206.8 million (168 million euros).

"It shows that people believe in me"

Like them, Rudy Gobert, who remains on a season with 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 average assist, has not yet won a title, unlike Anthony Davis who comes to him also to extend with Los Angeles for a little less, 190 million dollars (155 million euros), after having largely contributed to the 17th coronation of the Lakers in October.

This difference in treatment did not fail to surprise on social networks where Evan Fournier, his friend from the France team who plays in Orlando, congratulated him with humor by posting a video of a man diving into a pond of dollars.

>> To read: Rudy Gobert, the French basketball player who is growing in the NBA

"It shows that people believe in me," responded Rudy Gobert on ESPN.

"The Jazz believe in what we've been building for several years, with the coach (Quin Snyder) and all the guys. It's very motivating to know that we all share the same vision, the same goal."

"Rudy is a special player, who makes everyone better on the pitch," said Ryan Smith, the new owner of the Salt Lake City franchise.

The kid from Saint-Quentin is staying in SLC ❤️ pic.twitter.com/z6gtZrb5yv

- utahjazz (@utahjazz) December 20, 2020

It is therefore on the best possible note that Gobert is preparing to end 2020, a year in which he went through all the emotions.

Barely a few weeks after having the honor of a first selection in the All-Star Game, one of his personal goals, he became the first player to contract the Covid-19, which forced the NBA to interrupt the championship the 11th of March.

Damaged image after a bad joke

His image was tarnished by his attitude at a press conference held two days earlier where, careless, he had seen fit, jokingly, to touch the microphones of the journalists present.

His future at Jazz then raised some doubts, but he later apologized and even had to patch things up with the other star of the team, Donovan Mitchell, who accused him of having transmitted the virus to him.

As a symbol, “Gobzilla” reopened the season in the very first game in the Disney World bubble this summer.

But the Jazz, despite excellent combined performance of its two best players, was eliminated in the first round of the play-offs by Denver (4-3).

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Since the arrival in 2013 of the French trained in Cholet, the franchise has never gone beyond the second round of the play-offs (defeat in 2017 against Golden State 4-0 and in 2018 against Houston 4-1).

Three days to start the new regular season with the reception of Portland, passing this milestone appears, more than ever, as an obligation to justify the confidence placed in him.

A pressure that he will have to manage.

“For the past seven years you have seen me through the good times, the hardship and the mistakes too. Always, you have supported me and adopted me as one of your own. For that, I will always be grateful (.. .) I'm here for the long haul, to WIN a title with you Utah. Let's go get it, "suggests Rudy Gobert in his press release posted on Twitter.

With AFP

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