Rudy Gobert said he is already urging new Timberwolves teammate LaMelo Ball to slow down in the pick-and-roll, arguing that his screens can create the advantage without Ball needing to rely on his usual speed and quickness: "You can walk."
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert is already giving LaMelo Ball some blunt advice on how to make their pick-and-roll partnership work: slow down.
The French big man does not want Ball rushing through their actions.
"The main thing I tell him is to just slow down with me," Gobert said when asked what he has learned about screening for Ball. "You don't need to go fast, because I'm going to give you an advantage."
Gobert even gave his new point guard some homework, pointing him toward film of his old Utah Jazz partnership with Joe Ingles, who also played for the Timberwolves for the past two seasons.
"I told him to watch some clips of me and Joe Ingles' pick-and-rolls," Gobert continued. "You don't need to go fast, I'm going to give you an advantage. You can walk."
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How LaMelo Ball fits alongside Rudy Gobert
Gobert stands 7-foot-1 (2.16 m) and weighs 258 pounds (117 kg), while Ball is a 6-foot-7 (2.01 m) playmaker whose game is built around pace, quick changes of direction, and creativity with the ball.
Ball joined Minnesota this summer in a blockbuster trade that sent Naz Reid and several draft picks to Charlotte.
The 25-year-old guard averaged 20.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 7.1 assists for Charlotte last season.
Gobert, meanwhile, posted 10.9 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks across 76 games last season while shooting 68.2% from the field. He was also named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team.
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