Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert has apologised after he threw a punch at teammate Kyle Anderson in the second quarter of the team’s crucial win against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday night.
Minnesota entered the game against the Pelicans guaranteed a spot in the NBA Play-In tournament, but trailing both New Orleans and the Los Angeles Lakers by a game. It was possible to move up into the valuable seven-eight contest in the Play-In that gives you two cracks at a play-off spot - and they did so with a 113-108 win.
However, the Timberwolves are in the headlines for the wrong reasons after the altercation between Gobert and Anderson. In a second quarter timeout, the pair were embroiled in a heated dispute before the French star swung at Anderson.
Gobert - a three-time Defensive Player of the Year - was quickly separated from his teammate and he was sent home, with the Timberwolves securing the win in his absence. Gobert issued a statement on social media apologising to the fans, his team and Anderson for his actions.
“Emotions got the best of me today,” Gobert posted on Twitter. “I should not have reacted the way I did regardless of what was said.
“I wanna apologise to the fans, the organisation, and particularly to Kyle, who is someone that I truly love and respect as a teammate.”
It's unclear whether Gobert will face further punishment from the team. The Timberwolves will contest their next game against the Lakers in the Play-In Tournament.
Minnesota point guard Mike Conley Jr. told ESPN that Gobert sent his teammates an apology text in their group chat and that the team is planning to move forward from the alarming situation. The Timberwolves completed a blockbuster trade for the dominant Frenchman last offseason, sending Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, Leandro Bolmaro, Walker Kessler, Jarred Vanderbilt and four first-round picks as well as a first-round pick swap.
While the Timberwolves possess a worse record than last season, they have overcome injuries and chemistry issues to reach the Play-In tournament. They face the Lakers on April 12 with the winner advancing to a play-off series against the Memphis Grizzlies.
