Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert - 2024 Olympics - Team France
Credit: Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images
The Minnesota Timberwolves are coming off a second-straight trip to the Western Conference Finals, double the amount they had ever made it that far in the franchise’s 34 seasons prior.
With that being said, it’s still not good enough. If the Wolves want to take that next step, and play for an NBA Championship, they need to be even better. The question remains, of course, what needs changed this offseason, in order to make that happen?
Rudy Gobert was largely ineffective in the series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, a postseason problem that has followed him around for much of his NBA career. Oftentimes, playoff opponents have found ways to make Rudy completely unplayable. Some of that is his fault, some is just the nature of playoff basketball.
Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards - NBA Playoffs-Oklahoma City Thunder at Minnesota Timberwolves
Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
But after the Minnesota Timberwolves explored dealing Gobert to the Phoenix Suns, in trade talks surrounding Kevin Durant, it now seems most likely that the 7-foot Frenchman remains with the Wolves for at least one more season.
So, what is Rudy Gobert doing over the next few months, in order to make sure he’s ready for another 82-game NBA season in Minneapolis, hopefully followed by yet another playoff run?
Rudy Gobert will not play on Team France in 2025 EuroBasket
Well, many Wolves fans might be happy to find out that one thing he will NOT be doing this summer is playing for Team France during 2025 EuroBasket international tournament, which tips off on August 27 and runs through September 14.
Rather than put his body through another summer beating against Europe’s best players, it sounds as though Rudy Gobert will soak up some additional rest time in the United States, flying between Minnesota and California.
This, according to local insider Darren Wolfson (KSTP), who broke the news to a giddy Judd Zulgad (SKOR North) on the latest episode of Flagrant Howls. Judd has been pulling his hair out for years calling for Gobert to skip international play.
“First off, how big of a smile do you have Judd [Zulgad] that Gobert is sitting out EuroBasket this summer? Not playing for team France. The first time in how many years. He finally took your advice. Resting this summer. No France basketball duties for Rudy Gobert. Rudy has been spending time here in town…My sense is they still have a very healthy opinion of Gobert internally.”
Darren Wolfson – Skor North
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Playing internationally in the offseason has long been a talking point, regarding Gobert. It’s not easy to go through the rigors of a full NBA season, then continue to put your body on the line in the summers, too. This will be the first summer in three years that Rudy will not play internationally — 2023 (FIBA), 2024 (Olympics).
Minnesota Timberwolves happy to see Gobert take a summer off
With Rudy fresh off his 33rd birthday (Thursday), the 12-year NBA vet will prioritize rest and preparation for the upcoming NBA season. If the Timberwolves are going to run it back with largely the same roster, they’ll need Rudy Gobert at maximum strength.
Last season, Gobert played in 72 games regular season games for the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was named All-Defensive 2nd Team and averaged 10.9 rebounds per game with 1.4 blocks per game. It was a solid season that also added another 14 games in the playoffs.
RUDY GOBERT DOMINATES INSIDE TO LIFT THE @Timberwolves INTO THE WEST SEMIS!
🐺 27 PTS
🐺 24 REB (9 OREB)
🐺 2 BLK
🐺 80.0 FG% (12-15 FGM)
Gobert is just the FOURTH player to record 25/20 on 80+ FG% in a playoff game… and the first since 1996 🤯 pic.twitter.com/UFAgmqZQE0
— NBA (@NBA) May 1, 2025
The Minnesota Timberwolves recently extended Rudy Gobert, who traded more security for up-front cash last offseason. While the Wolves can’t necessarily stop Rudy from playing overseas, now loaded with three more years on his deal, you have to wonder if a verbal part of that agreement was an end to international play.
Rudy Gobert Career Stats for Team France (since 2014): 30 games – 206 points, 204 rebounds, 44 blocks
This week, the Timberwolves drafted two players they hope will eventually replace Rudy Gobert, one of them being another Frenchman, Joan Beringer, who Minnesota selected with the No. 17 overall pick on Wednesday. After some jockeying around the draft board in round two, they picked Australian 7’4″ monster, Rocco Zikarsky.
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