Jazz Center Rudy Gobert Named Defensive Player Of The Year Finalist
Apr 17, 2022, 4:23 PM | Updated: 4:32 pm
Rudy Gobert #27 of the Utah Jazz blocks shot attempt of Jakob Poeltl #25 of the San Antonio Spurs in the first half at AT&T Center on December 26, 2021 in San Antonio, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ronald Cortes/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – The NBA announced that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert was one of three finalists for the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year.
The league revealed the finalists on Sunday, April 17.
BREAKING: @utahjazz center @rudygobert27 is a finalist for the #KiaDPOY award.
Gobert is a three-time winner of the award. 🏆🏆🏆#TakeNote #NBAAwards
📷: Getty Images pic.twitter.com/wY6FRQPzeM— KSL Sports (@kslsports) April 17, 2022
In addition to Gobert, Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns) and Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics) were recognized as finalists.
Gobert is a three-time winner of the honor.
Rudy Gobert is officially a finalist for the NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/Fab4N2oZd3
— Ben Anderson (@BensHoops) April 17, 2022
Gobert first received the honor in 2018. He became a back-to-back winner of the award the following year. After he didn’t win the award in 2020, Gobert received his third trophy in 2021.
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The center is one of three players in NBA history to win the award at least three times.
Gobert’s three trophies are tied with current Los Angeles Lakers center Dwight Howard. Gobert and Howard trail Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace, who each received the honor four times during their careers.
This season, Gobert helped the Jazz to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference with a 49-33 record.
During the season, Gobert averaged 15.6 points, 14.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 2.1 blocks, and 0.7 steals per contest.
Utah currently owns a 1-0 series lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.
