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2019 NBA Awards: Rudy Gobert wins second straight Defensive Player of the Year award

Rudy Gobert becomes the second player in Utah Jazz history and 10th in NBA history to win it twice.

Rudy Gobert will forever be remembered among the defensive legends in NBA History. Rudy Gobert won his second Defensive Player of the Year award in as many seasons. Rudy Gobert led the league in Defensive Box Plus/Minus while anchoring the NBA’s 2nd best defense all season.

Rudy Gobert Career Stats

Season Age Tm Lg Pos G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% 2P 2PA 2P% eFG% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
Season Age Tm Lg Pos G GS MP FG FGA FG% 3P 3PA 3P% 2P 2PA 2P% eFG% FT FTA FT% ORB DRB TRB AST STL BLK TOV PF PTS
2013-14 21 UTA NBA C 45 0 9.6 0.8 1.6 0.486 0 0 0.8 1.6 0.486 0.486 0.7 1.4 0.492 1.1 2.3 3.4 0.2 0.2 0.9 0.7 1.3 2.3
2014-15 22 UTA NBA C 82 37 26.3 3.1 5.2 0.604 0 0 0 3.1 5.2 0.607 0.604 2.1 3.3 0.623 3.2 6.2 9.5 1.3 0.8 2.3 1.4 2.1 8.4
2015-16 23 UTA NBA C 61 60 31.7 3.2 5.8 0.559 0 0 3.2 5.8 0.559 0.559 2.6 4.6 0.569 3.4 7.5 11 1.5 0.7 2.2 1.9 2.7 9.1
2016-17 24 UTA NBA C 81 81 33.9 5.1 7.7 0.661 0 0 0 5.1 7.7 0.662 0.661 3.8 5.9 0.653 3.9 8.9 12.8 1.2 0.6 2.6 1.8 3 14
2017-18 25 UTA NBA C 56 56 32.4 4.9 7.9 0.622 0 0 4.9 7.9 0.622 0.622 3.6 5.3 0.682 2.9 7.8 10.7 1.4 0.8 2.3 1.9 2.7 13.5
2018-19 26 UTA NBA C 81 80 31.8 5.9 8.8 0.669 0 0 5.9 8.8 0.669 0.669 4.1 6.4 0.636 3.8 9 12.9 2 0.8 2.3 1.6 2.9 15.9
Career NBA 406 314 28.7 4.1 6.5 0.629 0 0 0 4.1 6.5 0.629 0.629 3 4.7 0.631 3.2 7.3 10.5 1.3 0.7 2.2 1.6 2.5 11.1
Basketball Reference

Rudy Gobert became the 10th NBA player to win the Defensive Player of the Year award two or more times joining an exclusive club that includes Kawhi Leonard, Dwight Howard, Dikembe Mutombo, Ben Wallace, Alonzo Mourning, Dennis Rodman, Hakeem Olajuwon, Mark Eaton, and Sydney Moncrief.

During the 2018-2019 season, Rudy Gobert played 81 games and averaged 15.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks.

Rudy Gobert’s offense improved this season, and he stayed just as efficient on the defensive end where he had a defensive rating of 100. For the second season in a row, he pushed Utah to a spectacular second half of the season run that propelled the Jazz to the 5th seed.

Fun fact: Rudy Gobert has already become the first player in NBA History to be voted on two separate All-NBA teams without making an All-Star team in either year.

Rudy Gobert also became the two time winner of the best suit at the NBA Awards show as well. It’s not a real award, but there should be one.