The Minnesota Timberwolves shocked the NBA world this offseason when they traded for three-time Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert. As it turns out, nobody was more shocked or confused by the news than star big man Karl-Anthony Towns.
During an appearance on ESPN’s NBA Today, Towns revealed that he was working out when the team pulled off the blockbuster trade and didn’t immediately see the news. Once he finished, his girlfriend was the one to inform him that he had a new teammate. However, a little miscommunication had him briefly thinking that the Timberwolves had just traded for Rudy Gay instead of Rudy Gobert.
“I was in London. I was working out and my phone was off, so when I walked back upstairs into the hotel room, my girl was like ‘Did you hear the news?’,” Towns explained. “And I was like ‘What are you talking about?’ And she said ‘Rudy, you guys got Rudy.’ I didn’t know what she was talking about. I was completely confused. I was like ‘Oh, we signed Rudy, Rudy Gay.’”
To be fair, they’re both named Rudy, and they both played for the Utah Jazz – it’s an easy mix-up.
Obviously, Towns quickly got the clarification he needed, but it was a hilarious mix-up nonetheless. And once learning who his team actually traded for, Towns was quite pleased with the new addition to the lineup.
“I was excited,” Towns said. “I didn’t know what was happening but I just saw the vision of us both twin towers out there. What he can do defensively, what I can do offensively, and we all putting that together for one organization, for one team. I think it’s going to be very different. The NBA hasn’t seen something like this. It’s going to be unique, and it’s going to be scary.”
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