NBA big man Rudy Gobert is spilling all the beans.
In 2019, Rudy Gobert, despite being named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year, was notably absent from the All-Star Game roster. His emotional reaction to this snub became a viral sensation, capturing him in tears during an interview—a moment that continues to haunt him.
Reflecting on this in The Players Tribune, Gobert shared, “You know … of all the shit I’ve gotten in my career, a lot of it was deserved. I’ve made mistakes, like everybody. But the one moment that really bothers me is when I was asked about missing out on the All-Star Game in 2019, and I broke down in tears. I think that moment, more than anything, defines how people see me in America vs. who I really am.”
Gobert explained that the question about not making the team triggered a deeply personal response, especially since it involved his mother, who is the most influential person in his life. “When it happened, I was caught off guard. I had a bunch of cameras in front of me after our practice. I got asked about not making the team, so I started telling the reporters how my mom was the one to call me to tell me the news. And how she started crying on the phone with me,” he recounted. The conversation tapped into a raw, emotional place. “It’s something that I think happens to everyone when they talk about their mom…. Like, I would never show emotion in front of my mom. I’m always a rock. I have to act like everything is cool. But in that moment, when I thought of her in front of all the reporters and the cameras, it’s like I turned into a kid again.”
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Gobert stressed that his tears were not just about the game, but a profound expression of his relationship with his mother and the sacrifices she made for him. “I wasn’t emotional because I missed out on one All-Star Game. It was way deeper than that. I was crying because of the deeper meaning,” he said. “How much my mom means to me. How much this game of basketball means to me. Everything that we have lived through together.”
Furthermore, Gobert has also opened up about challenges related to his racial background, revealing that his maternal family initially rejected him due to his skin color. He shared a painful memory: “We don’t want that baby in our house.”
This disclosure underscores the complexities and personal struggles behind the public personas of many NBA players.
