Jonny Flynn Blames Ricky Rubio Hype for Struggles in Minnesota


When Ricky Rubio was nothing more than a figment of most Timberwolves fans’ imagination upheld by grainy YouTube clips, Minnesota and Jonny Flynn had to endure one another for two seasons. Flynn says he let the Rubio hype get to his head. Reports the Pioneer Press: “Flynn, drafted No. 6 overall by the Timberwolves in 2009, was traded to the Rockets in June during the 2011 draft after two unsuccessful seasons in Minnesota. The Wolves drafted Rubio No. 5 overall in 2009, but he opted to play two more years in Spain before coming to the NBA this season. ‘I let that (the Rubio talk) get to me too much,’ Flynn said. ‘Everybody was always talking about Ricky coming here. My two years here was like five years to me. What I went through taught me a lot about life.’ Flynn and Rubio were considered the Timberwolves’ backcourt of the future when the team drafted them. Flynn started 81 games as a rookie, but struggled last season after a slow recovery from hip surgery in the summer of 2010 to repair a torn labrum. Flynn was limited to 53 games and made only eight starts. He averaged 5.3 points and 3.4 assists in 16.9 minutes. Flynn didn’t fare well in then-coach Kurt Rambis’ triangle offense, raising doubts about his future with the team and frustrating Timberwolves fans. Flynn said he ‘tried to stay a professional’ about the situation. ‘I remember all of that,’ Flynn said of the criticism. ‘It felt like we were playing 82 road games last year when your own crowd was on you. What did I do to deserve that? I never spoke bad about Minnesota or the organization.'”