NBA – Before the conference final, Rudy Gobert denounces Jaden McDaniels: “He quietly insults”

Par Guillaume Kagni | Journaliste sportif

For the second season running, the Timberwolves will be competing in the Western Conference Finals. They’ll be keen to do better than last year, and to do so, the whole squad will have to be up to scratch. Before kicking off hostilities, Rudy Gobert made a revelation about Jaden McDaniels.

When the Timberwolves traded Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo last summer, a decision all the more surprising given that they were coming off a Conference Finals loss to the Mavericks, many observers expected a complicated year for the franchise. During the regular season, they were not far from the truth.

After finishing on the podium in 2024, Chris Finch’s men had to be content with sixth place in this fearsome Western Conference. But that doesn’t change the fact that, for the second year running, Chris Finch’s men will be fighting for a place in the Finals. Although they were helped by Stephen Curry’s injury, Anthony Edwards and Randle got the job done, averaging over 50 points.

Rudy Gobert denounces Jaden McDaniels’ attitude

Without necessarily breaking the bank, Rudy Gobert was again very solid, averaging almost 10 points and 10 rebounds in the series against Golden State. The most important thing, beyond the numbers, is that the team is living in perfect harmony so far. The proof is in this little revelation from the French pivot concerning the discreet Jaden McDaniels.

Jaden McDaniels speaks badly, but quietly. It took me two years to realize it. When he scores a basket, you can’t even really read on his lips what he’s saying, but you just hear a little “sal**e”. I kept looking around to see who was talking like that, then I realized that, all along, it was Jaden. I’m going to get fined for this. He actually whispers.

The Timberwolves don’t just have talent, they also have personality, which is necessary in the conquest of a title. Anthony Edwards sets the example on the court, not hesitating to talk to his opponents after a big play, and his partners follow suit. Jaden McDaniels is clearly up for the game, even if he keeps his natural discretion when it comes to provoking his defender.

Rudy Gobert took a while to understand how his teammate worked, and in his first two seasons in Minnesota, he was actively looking for his team’s trash-talker. There’s clearly a good atmosphere in the group, with all the players sharing the same mentality, but it remains to be seen whether this will be enough to reach the Finals for the first time in the franchise’s history.