Rudy Gobert's Hall of Fame case is crystal clear

Recently, Shaquille O’Neal criticized Rudy Gobert and discussed his Hall of Fame chances. After this, Gobert’s Hall of Fame case has become somewhat of a hot topic. The Minnesota Timberwolves center has always been a divisive player, but there should be no denying that Gobert is an all-time great defender with an impressive career resume. Let’s dive into Gobert’s case to make the Hall of Fame. 

Gobert is an all-time great defender

Gobert’s dominant defense is central to his Hall of Fame case. He is one of the best rim protectors of all-time, averaging a career 2.1 blocks, and of course winning four Defensive Player of the Year awards. Notably, Gobert’s four DPOYs are tied with Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo for the most of all-time. Both Wallace and Mutombo are Hall of Famers. Being this dominant and accomplished as a defender should guarantee you a spot in Springfield.

At face value, Gobert’s averages of 12.6 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 1.4 assists don’t stand out. Impressively, Gobert has averaged more points, rebounds, and assists throughout his career than Wallace or Mutombo did. Most people would acknowledge that Wallace and Mutumbo deserved their Hall of Fame selections. Gobert should be treated the same as an all-time great defender. Given this, it's likely Gobert will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.  

Beyond that, there are just 10 multi-time DPOYs in NBA history, and all of the ones who retired are Hall of Famers except Mark Eaton. However, Eaton won two DPOYs to Gobert’s four. Furthermore, Eaton’s career averages of 6 points, 7.9 rebounds, and an assist are far below Gobert’s averages. Eaton is the outlier of multi-time DPOY winners, as he didn’t make the Hall of Fame.

Gobert’s three career All-Star appearances, four All-NBA selections, and eight All-Defensive selections are certainly Hall of Fame worthy. For reference, Wallace made four All-Star selections, made five All-NBA teams, and was named to an All-Defensive team six times. Wallace winning a championship with the Detroit Pistons certainly helped. Regardless, Gobert could still win a ring, and even without one, his resume is similar to Wallace’s. 

Gobert impacts winning at a high-level

Gobert’s impact on winning is also worth mentioning. With a career winning percentage of 58.1 and a 62.3 winning percentage in the last decade, Gobert’s contributions to high-level basketball should be clear. Gobert has been a key piece on four 50-plus win teams and two conference finalists. 

Since being traded to Minnesota in 2022, Gobert has transformed the Wolves' defense and helped lead them to new heights. If the Wolves win a title with Gobert on the roster, nobody will be able to deny his Hall of Fame case. However, even without a championship, Gobert has a clear Hall of Fame case. 

Throughout his career, Gobert has anchored the league’s best defense twice and five top-three defenses. Gobert’s defensive dominance is directly correlated with team success. Ultimately, Gobert’s all-time level defense and importance to winning basketball give him a clear path to being inducted into the Hall of Fame.