Rudy Gobert is still an elite defender, but his versatility holds him back from being the best.
On a recent episode of the Game Theory podcast, Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon ranked the NBA's 16th through 9th best defenders. Minnesota Timberwolves big man Rudy Gobert came in as the 10th-ranked defender. Vecenie described Gobert as an "unbelievable rim protector and an absolute wall at the rim." Simon noted that he changes the mindset of offensive players and that he changes the trajectory of their shot attempts.