Rudy Gobert Backed as 'First-Ballot Hall of Famer' by T-Wolves' Chris Finch

Minnesota Timberwolves coach Chris Finch feels Rudy Gobert is destined for the Basketball Hall of Fame as soon as he becomes eligible.

Finch spoke about the impact the four-time Defensive Player of the Year has had over his last four seasons with the Timberwolves in a recent appearance on the Road Trippin' Show.

"He's a great teammate. He's about the right things. He's a floor raiser. When he's out there every single night, you are going to be at a certain level and have a chance to win every night," Finch said around the 35:00 mark of the podcast.

Finch continued, "He has a ton of pride, and he's driven by his pride. He's confident, and he's got every reason to believe he's a good player, because he really is. He's a first-ballot Hall of Famer."

Gobert finished fourth in Defensive Player of the Year voting last season after averaging 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds and 1.6 blocks through 76 starts.

Finch said the Wolves locker room was aware during that campaign of what he saw as unfair criticism of Gobert.

"His successes, the things that are going on in the background at a high level all the time, are not always noticed," Finch said. "His mistakes are loud, and so people can point to them.

"I think it's a crime, it's a shame how people will criticize Rudy, and it's something internally that our guys have rallied around. All our guys have rallied around Rudy because they understand how important he is to us."

Gobert is one of three players in NBA history to have won four DPOY awards. The only other players to achieve the feat are Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace, who were inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and 2021, respectively.

The Wolves star will first be eligible to join Mutombo and Wallace four years after his eventual retirement, although that may not be coming in the 34-year-old's near future.

Gobert is currently signed through next season with a player option for 2027-28. He said in recent Prime Video feature his goal is to win his first NBA title and that he feels the end of his career is "still far away."