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Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert named All-NBA for third time, earning Third Team honors

Denver Nuggets' Mason Plumlee, left, looks on as Torrey Craig, center, comes down with a rebound in front o Utah Jazz's Rudy Gobert (27) during the first half an NBA first round playoff basketball game, Tuesday, Sept. 1,2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

Rudy Gobert has been named to the All-NBA team for the third time in his career.

The NBA announced Wednesday that Gobert was named to the 2019-20 All-NBA Third Team. He previously earned All-NBA honors in 2018-19 (third team) and 2016-17 (second team).

Gobert was named an All-Star for the first time during the 2019-20 season, averaging 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. His 13.5 rebounds per game was the second-best rebounding average in Jazz franchise history and the most since Truck Robinson grabbed 15.7 per contest during the 1977-78 season.

Gobert also led the NBA for the second straight season in slam dunks, jamming home 221 on the year. In addition, he totaled 471 screen assists which was also a league-high for the second straight season. With a block against Phoenix on Feb. 24, the center logged his 1,000th career block, becoming the third-fastest active player to hit that milestone, doing so in his 462nd NBA contest.

The 28-year-old native of France has helped the Jazz to four straight postseason appearances, appearing in seven playoff contests in 2020, averaging 16.9 points, 11.4 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 38.6 minutes per game.

Gobert was named to his fourth straight All-NBA Defensive First Team on Sept. 8, marking the most All-NBA Defensive First Team honors in franchise history. He was also named a top-three finalist for the NBA’s 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year after having garnered the award in 2017-18 and 2018-19.

Alongside Gobert, Miami’s Jimmy Butler, Philadelphia’s Ben Simmons, Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Houston’s Russell Westbrook were named to the 2019-20 All-NBA Third Team.

Gobert received one first-place vote (worth five points), 19 second-place votes (worth three points apiece) and 48 third-place votes (one point each) for a total of 110 points. While that total put him well-behind First Team center Anthony Davis of the Lakers (455 points) and Second Teamer Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets (311 points), it also put him comfortably out in front of Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, who finished with 79 points.

Donovan Mitchell was the only other Utah Jazz player to receive All-NBA votes, as the guard got one vote for the Second Team and seven votes for the Third Team, giving him 10 points total.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James were unanimous First Team selections, and were joined by James Harden, Luka Doncic, and Davis. Jokic was joined on the Second Team by Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, Chris Paul, and Pascal Siakam.