The Minnesota Timberwolves are just weeks away from tipoff of their first regular season contest. With media day in the rearview, practice has commenced and players are beginning to get acclimated to one another.
Of course, one of the biggest pieces to the Timberwolves’ roster this season will be three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. His performance on the court will play a major part in determining how much Minnesota can achieve this year.
With Rudy finally being introduced to the media earlier this week, excitement is building for the moment he dons the Timberwolves uniform and steps on the floor for the first time. After one of Minnesota’s practices, Gobert spoke about one of his new teammates he’s most excited to play with: D’Angelo Russell.
Rudy Gobert on playing with D'Angelo Russell during today's Timberwolves practice:
— Chris Hine (@ChristopherHine) September 27, 2022
"He can see it all. There’s a few times when I didn’t know that he saw me, and he still saw me. It’s really impressive and it’s really exciting."
Gobert Impressed By Russell’s Court Vision
When asked about how he’s felt about playing with D’Angelo in practice so far, Gobert had high praise for D’Lo and his court vision. “He can see it all,” said Gobert. “There’s a few times when I didn’t know that he saw me, and he saw me.”
Rudy expressed how impressed he was with Russell’s abilities, and how exciting that is for him going forward. This is something that’s sure to inspire excitement among Timberwolves fans as well.
Of course, Minnesota fans already know how special D’Angelo Russell is, but to hear their new All-Star player recognize his talents from day one has to be encouraging.
DLO DIDN'T EVEN LOOK DOE pic.twitter.com/fxh4YjnHpP
— Minnesota Timberwolves (@Timberwolves) March 24, 2022
D’Lo’s Chemistry With Gobert Will Be Big
Russell is coming off one of the most productive regular seasons of his entire career in 2021-22, where he averaged a career-high 7.1 assists. His ability to find teammates in the right place and right time is as good as some of the best point guards in the NBA.
The Timberwolves will undoubtedly be curating a myriad of plays to run this year that involve Russell and Gobert playing in pick-and-roll. The fact that the two already seem to be on the same page in the preseason is an extremely encouraging sign.
Overall, Gobert’s comments hint at his pairing with D’Angelo Russell being a fantastic fit. The two are excellent individual talents, but they’ll look to unlock even more in their respective games by playing alongside one another.