How Victor Wembanyama-Rudy Gobert’s relationship takes center stage during Spurs-Timberwolves playoff series

Rudy Gobert has made a few enemies during his stellar NBA career — even one on his own team — but don’t expect Victor Wembanyama to be one of them.

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Gobert and Wembanyama both hail from France and have bonded through international play despite entering the NBA a decade apart. They’re also both defensive wizards. Gobert is tied for the all-time record with four Defensive Player of the Year Awards, and it would arguably be an upset if Wembanyama didn’t at least join him atop that list one day. 

Gobert and Wembanyama are crossing paths for the first time in the NBA playoffs with the Minnesota Timberwolves facing the San Antonio Spurs in the West semifinals, so that bond might have to be put on pause.

Here’s a closer look inside the connection between Gobert and Wembanyama.

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Are Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama friends?

Gobert and Wembanyama are friends, and Gobert has also served as a mentor for the younger Spurs star.

Wembanyama was only nine years old when Gobert was drafted, so the two didn’t grow up playing together by any means, but they have known each other for a long time. Gobert was introduced to Wembanyama at a children’s basketball camp in 2017, when Wembanyama was only 13 but already stood at 5-11.

Gobert first kept tabs on Wembanyama from afar, but he reached out to work out with the young phenom three years later. By that point, Wembanyama had grown more than a foot and actually stood taller than Gobert.

«After that, we became friends, and I was paying very close attention to his development,» Gobert told The Athletic.

Here’s more to know about their relationship.

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Victor Wembanyama-Rudy Gobert’s relationship

Gobert continues to serve as a mentor for Wembanyama, even as Wembanyama’s Spurs have quickly become one of the NBA’s hunted teams.

While defense and skill are part of the conversations between the two, both Wembanyama and Gobert told The Athletic that their professional relationship focuses more on how the former No. 1 pick can be in the best physical shape possible.

«We have so many conversations about how to maximize your physical potential, but it’s much deeper than that,» Gobert said. «It’s (about) how to maximize our spiritual and mental potential, and Victor is a very curious kid.»

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Gobert said Wembanyama asks extremely detailed questions, right down to what water filter to use. Wembanyama doesn’t have the bulky frame that many other big men do, but he tries to make up for it by finding every avenue possible to become healthier and stronger — something he says Gobert already does so well.

«He’s a special soul, a special person, and I really care about (him),” Gobert told The Athletic of Wembanyama. «I really try to be there for him and, obviously, it’s way beyond basketball.»

Off the court, Gobert and Wembanyama have a strong bond as well. The two play chess, which is known to be one of Wembanyama’s favorite hobbies outside of basketball.

Gobert told ESPN in April that he and Wembanyama play chess «almost every time» the Timberwolves play the Spurs. Whether the two will have time for much chess in the playoffs is unclear.

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Victor Wembanyama-Rudy Gobert picture

Very few people can make Rudy Gobert look small, let alone a teenager, but that’s what Wembanyama did a year before he was drafted:

That’s a 7’1″ Rudy Gobert standing next to Victor Wembanyama 😮

📸 @NBA pic.twitter.com/NRcjHmRNe0

— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) October 6, 2022

Victor Wembanyama-Rudy Gobert international playing career

Wembanyama and Gobert played at the 2024 Olympics together, representing France, coming within one point of knocking off the United States but still winning a silver medal. While Gobert played more of a defensive role, Wembanyama averaged 15.8 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game for the French.

Gobert represented France in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, but Wembanyama passed on the opportunity to play in the tournament so he could better prepare for his rookie season with the Spurs.

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