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For the 2nd year in a row, Rudy Gobert has been voted the most valuable player on the Utah Jazz roster. This shouldn’t come as any big surprise, as he’s been the most important to wins for several seasons now. Last year was no exception, with Rudy leading a Utah Jazz turnaround and earning the DPOY along the way.
The defensive specialist doesn’t get enough credit for his offensive production and efficiency. While known for his defense, his impact can be felt on both ends of the floor. Last year, the French center put together the stat line of 13.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks per game. Those numbers don’t tell enough of the story, as he is an NBA game changer when on the floor.
As the 27th pick in the 2013 NBA draft (thanks Denver!), Rudy sure has come a long ways. He started in the G League, and now he’s the franchise cornerstone of a perennial playoff team. He’s the heart and soul of this team, and absolutely deserving of the title MVP!
Now for a quick recap of our rankings for this season:
- Rudy Gobert
- Donovan Mitchell
- Joe Ingles
- Ricky Rubio
- Derrick Favors
- Jae Crowder
- Dante Exum
- Royce O’Neale
- Alec Burks
- Thabo Sefolosha
- Grayson Allen
- Ekpe Udoh
- Raul Neto
- Georges Niang
- Tony Bradley
- Naz Mitrou-Long
- Tyler Cavanaugh
It should be fun to re-evaluate this at the end of the season to see who most overvalued and who was under appreciated. For now, let’s just enjoy the season!