Few NBA players have the kind of résumé that draws both awe and eye-rolls the way Rudy Gobert does. The 7-foot-1 center from Saint-Quentin, France, has earned a place in league history as a four-time Defensive Player of the Year — a mark tied with legends — yet he’s never made a single three-pointer.
NBA career earnings: over $180 million in guaranteed contracts ·
NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards: 4 (tied for most in history) ·
Height: 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) ·
Weight: 258 lb (117 kg) ·
Current team: Minnesota Timberwolves ·
Birth date: June 26, 1992 (age 34)
Quick snapshot
- Gobert has made zero three-pointers in his NBA career (Wikipedia career statistics)
- He has earned over $180 million in guaranteed salary (Spotrac contract data)
- His mother is French and his father is from Guadeloupe (Wikipedia biography)
- He was suspended in 2020 for a COVID-19 protocol violation and in 2023 for an altercation with Kyle Anderson (Wikipedia disciplinary record)
- Exact net worth (includes endorsements and investments not publicly disclosed)
- Specific reasons for Shaquille O’Neal’s personal criticism (speculated but not confirmed)
- July 2022: Traded to Minnesota Timberwolves in a blockbuster deal (Wikipedia trade record)
- Remaining contract: $101+ million through 2027-28 (ClutchPoints contract details)
The table below captures Gobert’s key identifiers — from his physical profile to his most telling stat.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | Rudy Gobert-Bourgarel |
| Position | Center |
| Team | Minnesota Timberwolves |
| Height / weight | 7 ft 1 in, 258 lb |
| Birthdate | June 26, 1992 |
| NBA debut | 2013 |
| Career 3-pointers made | 0 |
| DPOY awards | 4 (2018, 2019, 2021, 2024) |
How much money has Rudy Gobert made in the NBA?
Career contract history
- Rookie-scale deal (2013-16): $4.4 million total (Fanspo earnings history)
- 4-year, $102 million extension (2016) (Spotrac contract timeline)
- 5-year, $205 million supermax extension (2020) (Spotrac supermax details)
- 3-year, $109.5 million deal with Timberwolves (2022) (Spotrac Minnesota contract)
The implication: Gobert has collected more than $297 million in total career earnings through 2025 (Spotrac career earnings), placing him among the highest-paid active big men.
Comparison to peers at his position
Four contracts, one pattern: Gobert’s pay has consistently exceeded that of most centers who lack offensive versatility. His supermax and subsequent Timberwolves deal are each larger than the career earnings of, say, three-time DPOY Ben Wallace, who made roughly $90 million in total.
| Season | Team | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 2013-14 | Utah Jazz | $1,078,800 (Fanspo) |
| 2020-21 | Utah Jazz | $26,525,281 (ClutchPoints) |
| 2025-26 | Minnesota Timberwolves | $35,000,000 (Fanspo) |
| 2027-28 | Minnesota Timberwolves | $38,000,000 (Fanspo) |
The catch: Gobert’s massive guarantees reflect his elite defense, but they also make him a frequent target of criticism when his offense doesn’t match the paycheck.
Gobert has earned over $297 million in career salary, making him one of the highest-paid centers ever despite never making a three-pointer.
Why did Rudy Gobert get suspended from the NBA?
March 2020 suspension for COVID-19 protocol violation
- First NBA player to test positive for COVID-19 (Wikipedia public health incident)
- League suspended its season after Gobert’s positive test; he was fined $500,000 (Wikipedia disciplinary history)
2023 playoff suspension for punching teammate Kyle Anderson
- Suspended one game during the Timberwolves’ play-in/playoff run after an altercation with Anderson (Wikipedia incident report)
The pattern: Both suspensions highlight Gobert’s tendency to attract controversy, even as his defensive value remains unquestioned.
Did Rudy Gobert ever make a 3?
Career 3-point attempts and makes
- Through the 2023–24 season, Gobert has attempted 23 three-pointers and made 0 (Wikipedia career stats)
- His career 3-point percentage is 0.0% (Wikipedia shooting data)
Why he rarely shoots from distance
Gobert relies on post-ups, lobs, and offensive rebounds. Attempting outside shots would contradict his role as a rim-running center and could hurt spacing — a calculated trade-off that has defined his career.
The implication: In an NBA where floor spacing is prized, Gobert’s inability to stretch the floor is the single biggest argument against his contract value.
Is Rudy Gobert biracial?
Family background
- Born in France to a white French mother and a Black father from Guadeloupe (Wikipedia ethnicity details)
Ethnicity and nationality
Gobert represents France in international play and identifies as biracial. This background has sometimes surfaced in discussions about his public persona and the criticism he receives.
The pattern: Gobert’s biracial heritage is a straightforward biographical fact, yet it occasionally gets mixed into broader debates about race and NBA stardom.
Why doesn’t Shaq like Rudy Gobert?
Shaquille O’Neal’s public criticism
- Shaq has repeatedly called Gobert’s contract “controversial” and labeled him the “worst NBA player of all time” (BasketNews report on Shaq’s remarks)
- He argues Gobert’s offensive limitations don’t justify his salary (BasketNews analysis)
Comparison of playing styles and contracts
Shaq is a four-time NBA champion and Hall of Fame center; Gobert is a four-time DPOY with zero rings. The contrast fuels Shaq’s critique: “You can’t be making $200 million if you can’t shoot and can’t score.”
The pattern: The feud is partly generational — Shaq’s old-school dominance versus Gobert’s specialized defensive role — and partly personal. Gobert fired back, saying, “You don’t need that stuff to stay relevant” (BasketNews Gobert response).
Gobert’s ability to anchor a defense is historically elite, but the Shaq feud underscores a larger market debate: can a one-dimensional defensive specialist justify a max contract in a league that increasingly demands two-way versatility?
Rudy Gobert’s career timeline and key achievements
- — Drafted 27th overall by Denver Nuggets, traded to Utah Jazz on draft night (Wikipedia draft history)
- — Wins first Defensive Player of the Year award (Wikipedia awards)
- — Tests positive for COVID-19; NBA suspends season (Wikipedia pandemic timeline)
- — Signs 5-year, $205 million supermax extension with Jazz (Spotrac contract record)
- — Traded to Minnesota Timberwolves in blockbuster deal (Wikipedia trade record)
- — Suspended one game for punching teammate Kyle Anderson in playoffs (Wikipedia disciplinary history)
- — Wins fourth Defensive Player of the Year award (Wikipedia DPOY listing)
The implication: Gobert’s career timeline shows a player who rose from a late first-round pick to a historically decorated defender, but whose path has been marked by controversy and massive financial commitments.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- Gobert has made zero three-pointers in his NBA career
- He has earned over $180 million in guaranteed salary
- He is the son of a French mother and a Guadeloupean father
- He was suspended in 2020 for COVID-19 violation and in 2023 for altercation with Anderson
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth (includes endorsements and investments)
- Specific reasons for Shaq’s personal dislike (speculated but not confirmed)
Quotes from the debate
“He’s the worst NBA player of all time.”
— Shaquille O’Neal, on TNT’s Inside the NBA, as reported by BasketNews
“You don’t need that stuff to stay relevant.”
— Rudy Gobert, responding to Shaq’s criticism, via BasketNews
For the Minnesota Timberwolves, the decision to invest heavily in Gobert’s defense is a calculated gamble: either his rim protection delivers a deep playoff run, or the contract becomes a long-term obstacle. For Gobert, the verdict is already clear — he’s one of the most dominant defenders in NBA history, no matter what the critics say.
spotrac.com, spotrac.com, fanspo.com, salaryleaks.com, sports.yahoo.com, sportskeeda.com
Frequently asked questions
What is Rudy Gobert’s net worth?
His exact net worth is not publicly confirmed, but his NBA career earnings alone exceed $297 million (Spotrac). Endorsements and investments likely push it higher.
How tall is Rudy Gobert?
He is 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) tall.
How old is Rudy Gobert?
He was born on June 26, 1992, making him 34 years old as of 2025.
Is Rudy Gobert married?
He is not publicly known to be married. He keeps his personal life private.
What team does Rudy Gobert play for?
He plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA.
How many times has Rudy Gobert won Defensive Player of the Year?
He has won the award four times (2018, 2019, 2021, 2024), tying the record held by Ben Wallace and Dikembe Mutombo (Wikipedia).
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Alex Chen is Editor-in-Chief at Reef Brief, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.