Why is Rudy Gobert suspended? Minnesota Timberwolves center faces dramatic consequence after heated clash with Dallas Mavericks

Rudy Gobert, the center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, received a one-game unpaid suspension following his seventh flagrant foul point of the 2025–26 campaign. On Friday night at Target Center, Minnesota defeated the Dallas Mavericks 122-111 in the second quarter when Gobert was given the foul with 29.8 seconds left.

He had six flagrant foul points going into the contest. Gobert will miss the Timberwolves' game against the Philadelphia 76ers due to the NBA's February 21, 2026, announcement of the ban, which is the result of a foul on Dallas Mavericks player Marvin Bagley III.

NBA confirms Rudy Gobert’s suspension after latest on-court incident against Dallas Mavericks

The NBA announced on Saturday that Rudy Gobert, the center for the Minnesota Timberwolves, has been suspended one game without pay for his seventh flagrant foul point of the season.

The NBA's regular-season flagrant foul system automatically suspends players who accumulate a certain number of points. Gobert receives a one-game penalty after scoring his seventh point.The official notice read:“Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert has been suspended one game without pay for accruing his seventh Flagrant Foul point of the 2025-26 regular season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations…”

It continued: “Gobert, who entered Friday’s game with six Flagrant Foul points, received a Flagrant Foul 1 with :29.8 remaining in the second quarter of the Timberwolves’ 122-111 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at Target Center. Gobert will serve his suspension tomorrow when the Timberwolves host the Philadelphia 76ers at Target Center…”It further stated:“The NBA’s regular season Flagrant Foul point system appears below: If the player’s regular season total exceeds 5 points, he will receive an automatic suspension following the game in which his point total exceeds 5 points.

As for each additional Flagrant Foul committed during that regular season, a player at 4 points commits a Flagrant Foul 2: Automatic 1-game suspension..”It finally concluded:“Additionally, for a player at 5 or 6 points commits a Flagrant Foul 1: Automatic 1-game suspension, a player at 5 or 6 points commits a Flagrant Foul 2: Automatic 2-game suspension and a player at 7 points or more commits a Flagrant Foul 1 or 2: Automatic 2-game suspension..”

Rudy Gobert’s growing suspension risk puts Minnesota Timberwolves on alert moving forward

Gobert's sixth flagrant foul in January resulted in a one-game suspension. received a suspension for a flagrant on Victor Wembanyama during a game against the Milwaukee Bucks on January 13. This season, no other NBA player has more than four flagrant fouls.With seven points so far this season, the Frenchman has been penalized for six flagrants. Players who receive five or six flagrant points in a season are suspended for one game if they receive a Flagrant 1 and two games if they receive a Flagrant 2. Gobert, however, is currently at seven points and will be suspended for two games for the remainder of the season if he commits any kind of egregious foul. When the Timberwolves host the Philadelphia 76ers at Target Center on Sunday, he will serve the most recent ban. For the four-time Defensive Player of the Year, the T-Wolves will be hoping that doesn't happen.