In a piece published by The Players’ Tribune on Monday, Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert discussed bigotry he faced from his White French mother’s family during his youth.
The 31-year-old’s father, a former professional basketball player, is Black and from Guadeloupe. Gobert’s mother met him when he was playing professional basketball in France. However, they separated when Gobert was three years old, and he ended up living with his mother in France after his father relocated to his home Guadeloupe.
In the essay, Gobert stated that his mother’s family did not want him around following his birth.”Before I was even conscious, as a youngster born in Northern France, certain people did not want me around because of who I am. And it’s not just humans. My own folks. “We’re a very close family,” the three-time All-Star tweeted.
“It’s a painful memory, but one that I need to share,” he said. “You know, every year, my mother’s side of the family held a large Christmas meal at a specific person’s home. My mother is Caucasian. My father is Black. He is from Guadeloupe and was playing professional basketball in France when they met. My mother had two white children from a prior relationship before having me.
According to Gobert, his mother was told not to bring him to Christmas dinner by some relatives after his birth. “She may arrive on her own. But she could not bring ‘that child.’ “She couldn’t bring Rudy,” he explained.
He also revealed that his mother was distraught and wanted to cut relations with her family. “Obviously, she chose to spend Christmas with me instead. She informed them, ‘If that’s how you think, you won’t see me again. Not during Christmas. Not ever. Gobert wrote, “I don’t want anything to do with you.
Throughout the essay, Gobert discussed his mother’s troubles during his childhood and how their financial position inspired him to succeed. He stated that he grew obsessed with basketball by the age of 12.
“I used to collect every magazine I could get my hands on. Remember the posters in the center of each issue? I’d cut them out and tape them on my bedroom wall. He added, “I put up so many of them that you couldn’t even see the walls underneath.”
“There were wall-to-wall NBA posters with my graffiti tags put on them. I would close my eyes and visualize myself on the NBA floor, dunking the ball and guarding legends like Kobe, Tony, Dirk, and STAT. In my brain, my room, France. If you saw a photo of me at that age, you might not believe it. But I believed it with my entire heart and soul.”
Gobert has subsequently enjoyed a fantastic professional basketball career, and he is widely considered as one of the NBA’s best defenders. In addition to becoming a three-time NBA All-Star, the 31-year-old has earned six All-Defensive First Team selections.
Gobert had the most blocks in the 2016-17 season. He was also the league’s leading rebounder in the 2021-22 season.