Rudy Gobert joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2022.
The Minnesota Timberwolves are one of the younger franchises in the NBA, wrapping up their 36th season in the league in 2024-25. This list highlights the one player who has won a Defensive Player of the Year award while playing for the Wolves, Rudy Gobert, which he accomplished a little over a year ago.
Rudy Gobert – 2024
Gobert, a three-time winner of the Defensive Player of the Year award as a member of the Utah Jazz, earned his first, and fourth overall, with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2023-24. The Frenchman was a critical piece of Minnesota’s top-ranked defense that season, with their 108.4 rating two full points better than the second-ranked Boston Celtics (110.6). Gobert also led the league in individual defensive rating among qualified players, posting a 104.0 rating.
Across 76 regular season contests, the 2022 rebounding champ averaged 14.0 points, 12.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks in 34.1 minutes per. He compiled 54 double-doubles and recorded 29 games with 15 or more rebounds, grabbing 20-plus boards on three occasions. The 2017 block champion is no stranger to swatting shots, as he deleted three or more attempts in 25 games, blocking five-plus shots in four of those outings. The three-time All-Star has been named to eight All-Defensive teams (seven First) and four All-NBA teams (one Second, three Third) throughout his impressive 12-year career. Gobert, along with Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo, have each won the Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy a record four times.
