Rudy Gobert of the Minnesota Timberwolves didn’t have the FIBA World Cup experience that he wanted.
His French team was a mess from the start of the tournament and wasn’t able to make it nearly as far as fans had hoped.
Following his team’s exit from the tournament, Gobert opened up about the big differences between playing in the World Cup and playing in the NBA during the regular season.
“In FIBA game, you have to think even more, look around you more…It’s still harder to score in the FIBA game,” Gobert said, according to ESPN.
Rudy Gobert offered his thoughts on the FIBA style of play 💭 pic.twitter.com/FI63tEWA96
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 3, 2023
One could understand why Gobert would feel this way.
While playing in an NBA game, athletes compete against opponents that they understand well and play against often.
But when it comes to a FIBA game, those stars face off against athletes from all over the globe, all with their own experiences and various play styles that may feel brand new and unique.
Although it is good that Gobert has figured out how to play in these games, fans of the French teams are still disappointed.
Some people thought that Team France had a chance to win the entire World Cup this summer.
Instead, they couldn’t work well together and were decimated by their opponents right from the beginning.
They are now out of the tournament and hoping they have better luck in next summer’s Olympics.
Gobert has yet to commit to his national team for those games and some believe that France needs to change its approach and lineup.
He played enthusiastically in the World Cup and tried to help his team win but Gobert is right: scoring in a FIBA game is very hard.
NEXT: Fans React To Anthony Edwards' Clutch Performance In Team USA's Win
