The accolades continue to pour in for Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert.
On Tuesday evening, Gobert was named to the All-NBA Third Team, marking the third consecutive season he has received such honors (he was named to the Second Team in 2017). The recognition comes after he was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year last week for the third time in his career and named to the All-Defensive First Team on Monday.
The 28-year-old Frenchman (he’ll be 29 next week) was also named an All-Star this year, marking the second consecutive season that has happened. During the regular season, Gobert averaged 14.3 points on a .675 field goal percentage, 13.5 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game. His field goal percentage and block average led the NBA, as did his 231 dunks. His rebound average was second behind only Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks.
NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets was named to the First Team at center, and Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers received Second Team honors. Former Weber State star Damian Lillard of the Portland Trail Blazers was named to the Second Team.
The three teams in their entirety are as follows:
First Team
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Kawhi Leonard, LA Clippers
Second Team
Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Chris Paul, Phoenix Suns
Julius Randle, New York Knicks
LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers
Third Team
Rudy Gobert, Utah Jazz
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Paul George, LA Clippers
Bradley Beal, Washington Wizards
Kyrie Irving, Brooklyn Nets
Full All-NBA voting: pic.twitter.com/6wBtL6kpnJ
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 16, 2021
Although it wasn’t a surprise that Utah guard Donovan Mitchell was not named to an All-NBA team, his omission has major financial implications moving forward. Had he been named to one of the three teams, the contract extension he signed last offseason, which will go into effect next season, would have been worth approximately $195 million over four years instead of approximately $163 million.