Rudy Gobert may have been sending a not-so-subtle message during the Timberwolves’ Game 4 loss to the Nuggets.
The Minnesota big man appeared to make a money sign after the refs called his fifth foul on him late in the fourth quarter with the T-Wolves down 109-97.
The officials called Gobert for shoving Jamal Murray in the back as the two positioned for a rebound and the call didn’t sit well with Gobert.
He quickly flashed the money sign before he was seen shaking his head as he walked down the court.
The implication of the gesture isn’t hard to decipher and wasn’t the first time that Gobert has done it in a game that involved referee Scott Foster, who was the crew chief for Sunday’s contest.
And if history is any indication, Gobert could be at risk of receiving a hefty fine from the NBA for the gesture.
The Timberwolves center made the same money sign gesture toward Foster during a game in March against the Cavaliers when Gobert fouled out of in the closing seconds of the contest.
Gobert was hit with a technical by referee Natalie Sago who saw him do it as he was walking off the court.
This time around it didn’t appear that any of the officials caught the gesture, which seemed to imply that the official was on the take, but eagled-eyed users on social media did.
Gobert doubled down on it postgame during the March incident as well.
“I’ll bite the bullet again,” Gobert said at the time following the Cavaliers game. “I’ll be the bad guy. I’ll take the fine, but I think it’s hurting our game. I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way.”
Gobert didn’t make any comments like that after Sunday’s loss.
The center finished the game with 11 points on 3-of-5 shooting and pulled down 14 boards.
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