Minnesota Timberwolves middle Rudy Gobert brazenly questioned his workforce’s effort after a 119-115 dwelling loss to the struggling New Orleans Pelicans on Friday, calling for higher accountability throughout the roster.
“In some unspecified time in the future, if the gamers don’t have accountability, somebody has to have accountability for the gamers,” Gobert stated, per Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic.
“I’m on straight effort. I’m simply speaking straight effort. I’m not even attending to the basketball facet of issues, like there’s all the time errors are part of the sport, however the effort to me for a workforce that desires to play for a championship, it’s unacceptable.”
The four-time Defensive Participant of the 12 months averted singling out teammates by title, however Krawczynski famous that whereas stars Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle mixed for 59 factors, their defensive engagement appeared missing.
Gobert steered that accountability might have to shift to the teaching employees if gamers aren’t persistently competing at a excessive stage.
“It ought to begin with ourselves, nevertheless it looks as if we don’t have that, so I feel in some unspecified time in the future (it has to come back) from the coaches,” Gobert stated.
“It’s not a straightforward place for a coach to take guys out of the sport. It’s not one thing that you just wish to do, however I feel if the gamers don’t present any effort, in some unspecified time in the future, regardless of how proficient we’re as a workforce, should you don’t have that, you simply can’t be a profitable workforce.”
Minnesota has dropped eight of its final 15 video games and ranks 18th within the league defensively over that stretch.
Gobert additionally held himself accountable after permitting Zion Williamson to attain 29 factors, lots of them on the rim.
“It begins with me. If I’m not displaying effort, bench me,” he stated. “Take me out of the sport. Everyone else will comply with. Our greatest gamers, leaders, if we don’t present any effort, it doesn’t matter should you rating 50, we’re not going to win.”
At 32-21, the Timberwolves presently sit sixth within the Western Convention standings, narrowly above the play-in threshold.
“We wish to be a championship workforce. We wish to elevate that trophy in June,” Gobert stated. “This can be a lesson that we have to get proper now. It begins on the high.”
Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert Calls Out Teammates For Lack Of Effort https://t.co/wglw8oQNpS
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) February 7, 2026
