On September 1st 2009, Ricky Rubio penned a six-year deal with ACB giants, Regal FC Barcelona – despite being picked at number five in the NBA Draft with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Did Rubio make the right move though?
The situation seemed never-ending at one point. When the Spanish prodigy was drafted to the Timberwolves, the row over Rubio’s buyout clause was debated. There was a collective bargaining agreement in the league that blocked the player’s passage into the NBA. Other teams in the ACB were exempt from this ruling, as it applies to teams outside. The minimum price is $500,000. Ricky’s then-club, DKV Joventut Badalona, announced that his buyout was reported to be around $6.6 million [4.75 Euros].
After rumours that the boy-wonder would stay in Spain to further mature his game, the man himself confirmed those rumours by signing with Barcelona; Badalona’s nearest rivals and he made the final decision just days before EuroBasket in Poland.
That is the shortened version of a long saga. A saga that lasted nearly four months. As written earlier, was it the right move?
Call the 18 year-old what you will, fact is the player was very careful in his choice. A guy so young and with all that talent, it could take just one wrong decision and his career is over. Many also questioned his overall arrogance. Rubio and his agent, Dan Fegan were rumoured to be hand-picking where Ricky would be playing this year. New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers were the teams being mentioned in several media outlets.
There is no doubting the overall ability of Rubio. His style of play suits the NBA, but in my own opinion, he was right to choose Spain over the States. He was the first player, born in the 90’s to be drafted and as he is only 18, Rubio can plan his future in the league, even if he has completed another three seasons in the ACB. By that time, he will have turned 21 years-old. Three years to improve on a few weaknesses to the man they call, ‘Mozart’.
THE OTHER GUARDS IN THE LEAGUE
Okay, he led the ACB in steals and was named defensive player of the year in the 2008-2009 season – he also averaged 1.4 steals a game for his country at EuroBasket recently. I was in Poland for the said event, and I watched Rubio’s game with interest and I thought back to when he played for Badalona against the Guildford Heat in the Euro Cup [then ULEB Cup]. I noticed that while he has a basketball IQ that, amongst basketball players his age, can not be touched. He tends to step-off his opponent and give him that little bit of freedom to move and create. Doing this in the NBA, is fatal. Imagine giving Chris Paul or Derrick Rose space? Be a more than costly error.
Rubio is a quick player, he moves around the court quickly and effortlessly. But in my view, is not physical enough stopping his opponent driving to the basket – leaving him a victim to easy fouls and easy field-goal attempts. Most guards playing against Rubio on isolation will have a wide smile on their faces. He is not usually physical on the defensive end – opting for his quickness instead to get the majority of his steals.
JUMP SHOT
Something that Rubio needs to improve on, if he is to make it in the NBA, is his jump shot, which in my view, he still does not have. While he possesses a solid release – it is virtually a set shot – leaving it easy for his opponents to block. I noticed that at EuroBasket, Ricky was more confident in his shooting ability and he shot the ball with more accuracy in comparison to when I saw him play two years ago [November 2007] on the TV, where he has been reluctant to shoot when needed.
His foot and leg strength will no doubt blossom when Rubio gets older and wiser. While his release and action is as said, solid. He needs to include more of a spring to make it harder to contest. If he decided to play for the Timberwolves this year, his shot would have practically been non-existent.
EGO
The hype surrounding this player; could he grow to have an ego and drag the referees to making “superstar calls” on his count? Am I the only one who thinks this? Only time will tell…
Only three brief parts to Rubio’s game. But parts that are vital, if he is to truly succeed in the NBA. He chose very carefully to stay in Spain and he knows he has to mature properly if he is to make it in the league.
Ricky Rubio’s future is in no-one’s hands but his own. He now must use his time at Barcelona wisely and help them in league competition, where they are looking to retain their ACB crown – and, of course in the Euroleague, where Barcelona is looking to improve on their third place finish last season. Rubio joins a team as always, filled with talent, in Slovenians, Jaka Lakovic and Erazem Lorbek. Plus, the standout, Juan Carlos Navarro – formally of Memphis Grizzlies fame.
John Hobbs for talkbasket.net
