Draymond Green has weighed in on the surprising decision by France to bench Rudy Gobert from their starting lineup at the Paris Olympics. Green expressed his confusion on his podcast, stating that only Team USA has the luxury of benching NBA stars due to their abundance of elite talent. Green questioned the official reason for Gobert’s benching, instead, he believed the decision was tactical, aimed at improving France’s chances of winning.
He suggested that Gobert’s replacement, Guerschon Yabusele , was chosen for his physicality and strength, which paid off against Canada. "To be taken out of the lineup on any other team in the Olympics as an NBA player, not named Team USA is kind of crazy" — @Money23Green reacts to Rudy Gobert getting benched for France pic.twitter.
com/YqhOwmuwBd The comments are not surprising, given the history between Draymond Green and Gobert. The two have been rivals since 2017, when they competed for Defensive Player of the Year. Their feud has escalated over the years, with public jabs and insults.
Green’s latest comments can be seen as a subtle diss, adding fuel to the fire. As France prepares to face Germany, who boast tall centers, Rudy Gobert may be reinstated to the starting lineup if he recovers from his injury. However, the drama surrounding his benching has sparked a lively debate, with Green’s comments adding to the intrigue.
France advances to semifinals despite Gobert’s injury scare France’s men’s basketball team secured an 82-73 win over Canada in the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics , but concerns arose about big man Rudy Gobert’s availability due to a finger injury. Gobert played fewer than four minutes and grabbed just one rebound, while NBA Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama struggled with 2-of-10 shooting. France’s Rudy Gobert, who was benched and played limited minutes in quarterfinal win over Canada, said he suffered an unspecified finger injury during practice before the knockout round.
– Two fingers on left hand were taped together. pic.twitter.
com/rr1F4Z6MWE Despite the lackluster performance of their NBA stars, France’s lesser-known players stepped up to lead the team to victory. Guerschon Yabusele and Isaia Cordinier combined for 42 points and six three-pointers, keeping Canada’s talented squad at bay. France’s semifinal matchup against Germany poses a significant challenge, especially if Gobert’s injury persists.
Germany boasts a strong team with size in the frontcourt, making Gobert’s rim protection and rebounding crucial. A potential gold-medal game against the US, featuring Joel Embiid , Bam Adebayo , and Anthony Davis , also highlights the importance of Gobert’s availability. This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.
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