Five and a half years after a casual pickup game, Victor Wembanyama’s rapid rise to the NBA stage does not surprise Rudy Gobert. He saw this potential and pressure handling firsthand during their 2024 Olympic run. Gobert believes Wemby’s intense curiosity sets him apart from other players, including teammate Anthony Edwards.
Watch What’s Trending Now!
“Nothing really (surprising factor of Wembanyama’s growth). I’ve watched him a lot, I’ve watched him evolve,” said Gobert to the media. “I’ve watched him, the way he works, the way he takes care of himself. His thirst for knowledge. All the things he talks about. A few weeks ago, he asked me what kind of filter I had in my house for water. It just tells you how his mind is. I wish, I try to talk to the young guys here about the food they eat and stuff like that. But I don’t get those kind of questions.” The last part was a direct but hilarious dig at his Wolves teammates, who are not seeking mentorship. Which prompted the question about Ant’s behavior.
“Not yet (on Edwards asking questions on water filters). I’ll pray for that day when that happens.” There have been previous interviews in which Ant has admitted to eating three bags of Chester’s Hot Fries per day. Plus, he even once ordered McDonald’s during a post-game press conference. While he may not have asked Rudy questions like these, Anthony Edwards found a mentor in Stephen Curry during his time at the Olympics. Edwards credited Curry for influencing his shooting mindset, specifically to “let it fly”.
He led the NBA in three-pointers made during the 2024–25 season with 320 makes. So he is curious too, but Gobert is yet to see that side of him, which he has seen plenty of in Victor Wembanyama.
“But yeah. So it shows about how he’s 22 years old, he’s already dedicated about his health. It says a lot,” concluded Gobert. It’s not just Rudy talking about the San Antonio Spurs star’s curiosity to learn. Legends like Jamal Crawford and Hakeem Olajuwon also feel the same after training with him.
Asked Rudy Gobert what surprised him about Victor Wembanyama when they were teammates during the Olympics. "A few weeks ago he asked me what kind of filter I had in my house for water. It just tells you how his mind is. I try to talk to the young guys here about the food they Show more
Crawford, a legend known for his elite ball-handling skills, worked with Wemby on footwork and guard-like mobility. The 3x Sixth MOTY stated that Victor Wembanyama‘s curiosity was so intense that moves which took years to master were “downloaded” by him in just five minutes.
In fact, J-Crossover even praised the time spent with the Spurs as a privilege and called it his “5 greatest basketball experiences.” Such adulation only follows if there is an instinct to learn. Even the 2x NBA champion Dream was highly impressed.
Olajuwon, the NBA’s all-time leader in blocks, trained Wemby as a versatile “big guard” who could play positions 1 through 5 with total freedom. After their four-day session, Hakeem proudly declared that Wembanyama has no ceiling and is the only person he believes can break his all-time shot-blocking record.
If Crawford and Olajuwon can learn so much in a few practice sessions, now compare it with the time Rudy Gobert has spent with his French teammate. So, for others, it may be surprising if the Spurs star is asking more questions, but Rudy has seen it all. And now they face each other, which is an interesting matchup.
Victor Wembanyama praising Rudy Gobert and Anthony Edwards
The Wolves survived a classic 7-game series as they beat the Nuggets. Rudy Gobert was instrumental in shutting down Nikola Jokic and would hope he has the same effect against Wemby. Unfortunately, the injuries plagued Minnesota throughout the series. Donte DiVicenzo remains out with an Achilles injury, and Anthony Edwards is in doubt after suffering a bone bruise in his left knee in Game 4 of the Round 1 series. So, the path for the Spurs is somewhat easier, but Wemby is not happy seeing the injury list ahead of their semifinal matchup.
“They have more than Edwards and DiVincenzo, but those two are players I like watching, I like playing against. They go hard,” Victor Wembanyama added. “It always breaks my heart when I see somebody get hurt.” Similarly, he had a lot of praise for his idol Rudy Gobert. “As a role model, there are a lot of things that he inspired me, but I’m sure he inspired more people in terms of taking care of their bodies. He should be a role model for all big men,” Wemby concluded.
Gobert remains the league’s premier defensive anchor, recently holding opponents to a league-leading 36.9% shooting at the rim. Wembanyama creates matchup problems with his ball-handling, three-point shooting, and domination in the paint.
