Gobert Receives Strong Support From Jazz Fans
Feb 1, 2019, 7:48 PM
Donovan Mitchell #45, Rudy Gobert #27, and Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz wait to be introduced before the start of their game against at the Vivint Smart Home Arena on December 25, 2018 in Salt Lake City , Utah. (Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Gardner/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – A little more than 24 hours after it was revealed that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert would not be participating in the 2019 NBA All-Star Game, the big man was on the floor at Vivint SmartHome Arena playing against the Atlanta Hawks.
It was a whirlwind day for Gobert, who became emotional when discussing his exclusion from the game earlier at team shootaround. He was later subjected to ridicule by several NBA stars for his emotional expression. As a result, the strong affinity already felt by Jazz fans for the French big man grew even stronger and such was evident in the Jazz’s game versus Atlanta.
Gobert was given a large issue of support when introduced in the starting lineups.
#TeamIsEverything pic.twitter.com/r12yIjDXBB
— Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) February 2, 2019
Later in the first quarter, Gobert went to the line for a pair of free throws. To continue their support, the crowd began chanting “All-Star” while he shot his free throws, making them both.
Jazz fans chant “All-Star, All-Star” as Rudy Gobert steps to the free throw line. He also received a larger than normal roar as his name was introduced during starting lineups.
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) February 2, 2019
This story will be updated.
