Gobert signed a massive five-year, $205 million contract in 2020, earning him the nickname "the $200 million center."
With quality centers scarce in today's league, he was one of a kind.
He averaged 15.1 rebounds per game this season, ranking first in the league.
His 2.7 blocks per game ranked second in the league.
In previous years, 2.7 blocks per game would have been an exceptionally high average.
But Wang Yi was just too much of a freak. He averaged 5.1 blocks per game this season.
So this year, Gobert won the Rebounds King title, but not the Block King title.
Usually, after Gobert got the ball near the basket, he went straight for a hook shot or a face-up shot against the opposing center.
He'd also developed his mid-range shot this year, allowing him to step out and shoot against opposing centers.
But now, facing Wang Yi, who was 24 centimeters shorter than him, he felt a little lost.
What should he do?
Should he go for it or not?
If he did, Wang Yi had blocked him so many times that he'd developed a psychological scar. He just didn't have the confidence.
But if he didn't, he was a head and a half taller than Wang Yi. Wang Yi practically looked like a midget next to him. If he still didn't go for it, everyone would call him a coward.
Besides, this was the first possession of the game. If he could score, he could activate the whole team's offense.
After hesitating for about three seconds, he finally decided to give it a try.
He backed Wang Yi down, pushing into the paint for two steps.
He'd already established deep position, and after backing Wang Yi down another two steps, he was right under the basket.
Then he