Rudy Gobert created a really awkward situation Sunday when he threw a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson on the Minnesota Timberwolves sideline during their win against the New Orleans Pelicans.
The two players, who were huddled on the sideline with other teammates, were talking to each other when Gobert suddenly stepped forward and punched Anderson in the chest.
Teammates and coaches quickly intervened to separate the two, but the damage had been done. Starting a fight with a teammate is always a bad look, especially when it’s captured on video, during a game.
The team reportedly sent Gobert home after the incident, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. That certainly gave him time to think about what he had done. Gobert fired up his Twitter account a few hours later.
“Emotions got the best of me today,” Gobert tweeted. “I should not have reacted the way i did regardless of what was said. I wanna apologize to the fans, the organisation and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that i truly love and respect as a teammate.”
As an interesting aside, Gobert had shared his thoughts about Anderson recently with a Timberwolves beat reporter, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune. Hine reported that Gobert said Anderson, “is sometimes a little aggressive in the way he talks,” but “I love his competitiveness, love the way he makes others around him better.”
The Timberwolves will quickly put this mini-drama behind them as they prepare for the NBA Play-In Tournament. They face the Los Angeles Lakers on the road Tuesday night.
About Arthur Weinstein
Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.