CHICAGO — Dribble, crossover, behind the back, pull up, 3.
Those were the actions of Rudy Gobert on Saturday afternoon.
Yes, you read that correctly. The Utah Jazz’s 7-foot-1 big man from France was going through his normal shooting routine during NBA All-Star practice at Wintrust Arena when all of a sudden he decided to take a few steps back to the arc.
“I just want to have a good time.” — Rudy Gobert
The NBA All-Star Game is not about efficiency or even being effective. It’s a game that features highlight reel plays that range from the difficult and beautiful to the odd and surprising.
What would be more surprising than Gobert taking his first ever NBA 3-pointer during Sunday night’s All-Star Game?
Based on what was seen during Team Giannis’ practice session, Gobert could be warming up to giving the fans something to talk about.
The All-Star practice sessions are more about giving the fans an opportunity to see their favorite players up close than it is about any actual practice or preparation. The players go through whatever shooting routine they would like, then the team coach puts them through a couple drills, has them run a couple offensive sets and then it’s over.
Team Giannis’ coach — Toronto Raptors’ head coach Nick Nurse — led the players through their work while mic’d up and at least trying to give the fans a little bit of a show. That’s what a lot of this weekend is about, putting on an enjoyable show for the fans.
“I just want to have a good time,” Gobert said of his expectations from the All-Star Game.
Meanwhile, teammate and All-Star Donovan Mitchell said that he is hoping that the two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year shows off his skills on the defensive side during the All-Star game.
“I hope somebody tries to dunk on him because it’s just not going to happen,” Mitchell said with a laugh. “If someone tries it he’ll be there. ... We’ve got a guy who is not afraid to go up there and block shots.”
It didn’t even seem to be on Mitchell’s radar that Gobert would potentially let it fly from beyond the arc.
Here’s the kicker: Gobert wasn’t just taking 3-pointers — he was hitting them. He probably took somewhere between a dozen and 20 treys while he was on the court on Saturday and though his efficiency wasn’t great, he did hit a handful.
A blocked shot, some dunks and alley-oops from Mitchell, those are all things that we could expect from Gobert.
It would really be something if he decided instead to pull up from the 3-point line and let it fly. Why else would he be taking those shots during practice? What does he have to lose?