Friday, June 26th, 2009 at 1:05 pm | 107 responses
Where’s Rubio?
The T-Wolves are holding a presser to showcase their draft picks today. There’s one noticeable absence, but their GM (Kahnnn!!!!!!!!!) says not to worry about it: “The Timberwolves will hold a 3 p.m. news conference today to introduce first-round draft choices Jonny Flynn of Syracuse and Wayne Ellington of North Carolina. No. 1 pick Ricky Rubio won’t be in attendance. Wolves president of basketball of operations David Kahn, through a team spokesman, cautioned not to read anything into that, but there are plenty of questions about whether Rubio will end up signing with and playing for Minnesota this season or return to his Spanish team.”
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Man up Rubio.
He needs to land somewhere where defnse is not a priority to not suck.
I hated (and sorta still hate) Eli Manning when he blackballed teams in the draft and now Rubio is doing the same thing, but worse because he’s balking on teams he didn’t even mention not wanting to play for.
Unrelated: Anyone know if Josh Heytvelt is gonna sign anywhere? I still think thats the guy who would fit best in SA’s frontcourt, but I do really like Blair, especially at 37.
What does it matter if it’s cold here or not? Buy a f’ing jacket.” Spoken like a true G!
Epic fail, Rubio. Epic fail.
On a side note: IF ONLY JENNINGS WAS ON MY KNICKS. F*CK WHY DID YOU HAVE TO SUCK THIS DRAFT DONNIE?
So rubio gets half of pauls stats as a 17 year old. If he keeps that up, 11 and 6 then as an 18 year old rookie for a season is still pretty good.
So rubio gets half of pauls stats as a 17 year old. If he keeps that up, 11 and 6 then as an 18 year old rookie for a season is still pretty good.
Z: Rubio was also playing with an absolutely broken wrist. Rubio will now be able to use his dinosauric reach to his full potential on Jennings. I’m not saying Jennings wont burn Slick Ricky once or twice, but don’t overdo it here.
Rubio was the DPOY for the ACB. I know the rule system over here is muchos different, but let’s not go crazy here, Rubio isn’t Calderon, he’s going to be able to hold Jennings on most plays.
I get it, Rubio has turned into a huge douchebag. He’s spoiled and a liar. Why can he suddenly not play the game of basketball anymore?
Also, research just a -little- bit to find out common information.
And if I was a top baller in my own country at 18 (and likely getting more a*s than the Dos Equis guy), why would I possibly go to a frozen city to compete with another point guard to see who can quarterback the most losses??
KAHNNNNNNNNN!!!!!
He is negociating with his spanish team to reduce his byout and come to the NBA but the DKV joventut don’t want lost money and his best player. So will see what happens.
So T-wolves and American fans don’t get upset and let him try to have the oportunity to play in NBA without that pressure. If he has to stay one year more in Spain to go free to NBA let him do it.
This way at least we can enjoy one year more live (belive me) the best point guard that I have seen. Best
2. I heard JJ Redick has a pretty good jumpshot, but it hasn’t helped him too much.
3. Brandon Jennings is the next Randy Woods. Do you remember Randy Woods?
4. People are calling the kid some pretty nasty names because of his situation in the draft. Regardless of opinion, he still has to pay six-million dollars out of his own pocket to play in the NBA. You have never had to deal with that situation, so shut up.
And enough about the Pistol Pete nonsense! The dude has NOT BEEN COMPARED TO PISTOL PETE SINCE HE WAS 16! Peter saw him on youtube, he was white with floppy hair throwing showtime passes, and everyone said “IT’S THE PISTOL!” Two years later, people actually know his game, and no one mentions Maravich when they talk about Rubio.
Darko and Rubio were completely different. Darko was recognized as a project who would take time to fully develop, Rubio is expected to produce right off the bat.
I CANNOT believe you said Rubio had no handles.
If Chris Paul didn’t annihilate him in the Olympics what makes you think he’s gonna get killed by other dudes Ciolkstar? Jukai, I was actually refering this ^. But yeah, he will get annihilated.
And I was saying best-case scenario, not right off the bat. Rubio is not getting double digit assists right off the bat, nowhere near it; especially playing alongside Flynn. I’m saying IF one day, Rubio gets to be a starter and THE point guard, and gets to handle the ball for like 30+ minutes a game, he might come close. He’s still not going to be as good as Jose Calderon, pretty much ever.
“he sustained an injury, and he still made Jason Kidd look bad.”
Tell me how the frick he made Jason Kidd look bad?? By not getting totally owned? Come on now, these comments have been made before. And they’re annoying.
But there are two things you are so VASTLY wrong on, I’m wondering if you’re pulling an Eboy and just saying stupid things to incite people.
1- “Rubio has no handles” STOP SAYING THIS. RUBIO HAS BETTER HANDLES THAN 95% OF THE NBA! JENNINGS DOESN’T EVEN HAVE HALF THE BALL HANDLING SKILLS AND BALL CONTROL THAT RUBIO HAS!
Cap lock!
This is like saying Kobe has no jumper! This is like saying Lebron has no strength and that Monte Ellis guy sucks because he’s slow! It makes you look insane!
Look, I think Jennings has insane handles for a kid his age, at the Jordan Classic he was splitting dudes and crossing them out and he never took his eyes off the ball. Rubio does all this and more every day in a professional league!!! This is the only way Rubio can score buckets without speed and an outside shot! I can’t believe you would say something so heinously dumb, normally I’d just flat out ignore you but people are so clueless about Rubio, I don’t want them reading your crap and thinking it as fact!
So to clarify: Rubio’s handles are ungodly.
2) “Rubio is a terrible defender.” Now I’m not going to chew you up on this, kid, because a lot of people are suddenly declaring Rubio to be a horrible defender. I was wondering if something changed, so I checked Scout.com and Draftexpress to see if he really WAS a bad defender. What I saw was: ‘good ability to contest shots’ ‘amazing in the pass lanes’ ‘great defensive awareness’ ‘great off ball defender.’
Hohum.
So, suddenly an 18-year-old kid who was the defensive player of the year in Europe is going to be getting burned by every person in the NBA. And hey, I’m not denying that Paul/Deron wont drop 30 on him, Rose wont drop 22, Harris may have a 40-point game on him! But saying Brandon Jennings, who people don’t if he’ll ever start? You kidding me? This kid was the BEST DEFENDER IN ALL OF SPAIN. I don’t think he’ll come in shutting dudes down, but to say he’s a bad defender defies common logic. He’s got long arms and very sharp lateral speeds and GREAT defensive IQ. He isn’t quick in a sprint but he’s very fast moving his feet from side to side. It doesn’t make sense for people to start considering him a bad defender and I don’t know where it is coming from.
Once again, it is okay to hate Ricky Rubio. He’s been a huge prick throughout the draft process. But -STOP LYING ABOUT HIS SKILLSET-
A lot of people are reading it and thinking it is fact
he averaged 40% FG, 43% from 3 and 80% from the line while bieng only 18 in the second best league in the world, not amazing but shows that he can definatly develep into a high level shooter
learn to research your arguement
And care to tell me how many 3′s Rubio took? This is an exaggeration, but a guy can hit 1 three the entire season going 1/1 and its still 100%. And if I’m not mistaken, Euroleague plays with a closer 3 point line.
Hanoon: actually Maravich constantly complained later in his career. Good job, loser.
I disagree: if you are not aiming for the NBA, you are not aiming high enough. Really. Ask any European star, if they’d rather be a star in the NBA.
And while you’re 100% right about the T-Wolves situation and what a d*ck move it was for them, you have to realize that Ricky Rubio MADE HIS BED: he openly bad mouthed Memphis, gave OKC the cold shoulder EVEN WHEN THEY WERE BEGGING HIM TO WORK OUT, and was a real hard ass with Sacremento (refused to do a lot of work-out stuff, gave very enigmatic responses about his abilities, didnt’ give guarentees about playing or anything). He could have gone two but HE HIMSELF got him into this situation.
Now he’s gotta sleep in that bed.
I’m tired of people starting to knock on Rubio’s abilities, as if him being a total pr*ck means he suddenly has lost his game… but this whole matter is entirely Rubio’s fault, and he SHOULD be compared to Kobe and Yi and Francis and all those d**ches who decided they were bigger and better than the system and could decide where they wanted to play.
Capish?
To compare him with Francis for the “I’m bigger than the system” is good. But they’re not the same players at all. Not at all. And people may hate him now, but I’ll still say it : Rubio is a mature kid. More than everybody think. He knew what he was doing since the start, believe me. I wouldn’t say the same about the guy that had that brilliant idea in the T-Wolves staff : “Now that we got Rubio, lets pick Flynn, not trade Ricky and see how all that mess ends up”. Really. Some brilliant move there.
To compare him with Steve Francis is good if you only see the “I’m bigger than the system”. But they’re not the same players. At all. And if you really think about it with a clear mind, Rubio doesn’t think he’s bigger than the system. He wanted something but didnt get it. So maybe he’ll prefer to stay in his country, where his star status is locked. Its not called wanting to be bigger than the system. It’s called playing with the system and leaving it if you dont get what you want. Its called knowing its not the ONLY system in the b-ball world. Just one question. Would you rather play the Euroleague’s Final Four with the Real Madrid, one of the biggest teams in your country, or nearly 82 useless games alongside Flynn on the roster of a team that may not clinch a playoff spot (not even talking about the market in comparaison to California or NY)??? Me : Euroleague’s Final Four. Without even thinking about it.
Paul and Dwil were playing like pure distributors. They didn’t play anything like the way they play in the NBA. I seriously doubt that Rubio would have kept up with the Chris Paul we saw give the business to Jason Kidd and Tony Parker a few years back. Or the Deron Williams I know. Both players toned their games down because of the players around them and the offense the team ran.
Can’t have two standards. Yes, this decision may be what’s best for Rubio. No doubt. But, when other players have made similar decisions, they’ve gotten ripped. To suddenly leave him alone would smack of hypocrisy, unless it meant that no longer would these types of decisions be questioned. I don’t think that’s going to happen.
He talked all this “the NBA is my dream!” but suddenly that dream doesn’t matter anymore, because it’s not the situation he wanted. That’s unreal to me. he’s punking out.
NOW if Rubio said, “look, I want to play in Spain for another year or two so I don’t have to pay my buyout, and I can come in more of a complete player” that’d be one thing. To sign with Real Madrid because he didn’t get to go on the team he wanted after all that talk about his “dream,” well, Rubio would lose all likeability to me.
I’m an American and I’ve always idolized the NBA, so take that with a grain of salt.
Why is he surprised he got drafted by the team he got drafted by?
I mean, he could have just waited a couple years and skipped all the drama. He alreaady knew what his buyout was and he knew how much money he was going to make.
You are very informed and right about his game. No one here doubts he will succeed in the NBA. and we have seen Calderón, Gasol and Gasol, Scola, Navarro, and a lot others playing before going to the NBA.
And you are right also that his draft process has been horrible. But I have to say it is not his fault. Rubio is extremely well manered and polite. He has had horrible assesment by Dan Fegan and that might cost him a lot in the NBA.
I just hope he starts the first game and proves he is the player you and me know he is. Good luck to Rubio. PD. I understand all the other arguments having only indirect information, the guy is really looking bad, but that is not true
You may think it’s being hypocritical. You’re kind of right about that point cause I didnt explain my thinking process very well. Francis is an American player, attended HS and college in the US. NBA was the only place he wanted to be, that’s sure. No way he would have gone to Spain or Europe to play if all that “I’m not going to vancouver” sh*t turned bad. So yeah, for me, it’s being bigger than the system. You’re right on one point : Rubio told people “NBA is my dream”. But when you live in Europe, you didn’t read Rubio interviews for the last six months only. Since at least three years, Ricky repeats, in sp&anish media, how NBA is his dream but he doesn’t want to go there to just play and show his skills in a bad team. He keeps saying staying in Spain wouldn’t be bad. Totally different situation than the Francis’ one.You’re right about another thing. Rubio COULD have played in Sacramento if he did everything they wanted for the work-outs. But as al told ya, if you know the kid a little bit more than from Slam, ESPN and Youtube, you would know he really is a kind, intelligent, well manered, polite and mature 18-years-old.But clearly the people around him, mostly Dan Fegan, didn’t handle the situation well. And that’s an understatement. They acted like b*tches, not Ricky, and in the long run the only one it will cost something to is Ricky.That was my only point from the start. Dont hate on a kid that didn’t want all that mess to happen. Too easy to blame someone when you dont know the exact situation. BTW, nice arguing with you about that, really like that exchange of ideas.
And to end with your last point. I’m from Europe but lived in NYC for a few years. I’ve also always idolized the NBA and frankly, if I was a great player (I’m a player, not a great one
And yes Real Madrid is “one of the greatest sporting names in the world… for soccer”. But believe me, in European b-ball, that name rings a lot of bells too. And in Spain, for spanish fans, soccer or b-ball, Real Madrid is still Real Madrid. The biggest housename in the sporting world.
He’s still going to carve up the NBA. Unlike other doubters, I still think he’s skilled like a mother f*cker. I just think he deserves what he gets right now. Just cause I respect his skill, doesn’t mean I respect how he tried to play where he’d get drafted.
Come on man, you’re wiser than this. Dont tell me you believe everything from the reports from Sacramento but nothing from other reports, mostly europeans yes but a lot of those journalists followed Ricky in the US for those work-outs, that tell how his agent played a bad role in all that mess. I think the truth is between all those reports. Yes he refused to do quite a lot of things. But who tells you that was only HIS decision and not something his agent told him to do “for his good and his futur”??? Maybe thats not only a black and white situation. Maybe we can see the grey between the lines of all those reports.
Once again, Sacremento claimed he was cryptic, unresponsive and refused a lot of workouts. Why would they lie? An easy way out on not risking Rubio when they picked EVANS?
The spanish media has plenty reason to place more blame on his agent than Rubio.
I can see your points and accept them. But clearly you dont understand the influence and power of agents in Europe. I mean come on we had our share of great young soccer players that went in teams they really shouldnt have gone to just because their agent told them. Mourad Meghni, called the next Zidane in France 10 years ago, can tell you everything about that. Yes Rubio is naive and young. Yes he may have done bad things in Sacramento. But dont underestimate what european agents can do to those players once they’re in their pocket. I dont say Rubio is an angel and everything he does is great. My only point was dont hate on a kid simply because he made a choice or was a little bit forced to make it. I know you like his skills, and you’re right about it, so before hating on him just please let him do his thing and we’ll judge him in a few years or months. What I really dont understand is why people around here are hating on him when the real man to blam for thise is the T-Wolves’ GM. You know like me that everything would be different is David Stern didnt have to say : “
Sorry. I pressed the “submit comment” before I was done.
Yes. Everything would be different if Stern didnt have to say :”And with the 6th pick, the T-Wolves select Flynn”. Seriously, do you thing that was a sign of great confidence towards Ricky ? I think what Rubio and his crew are really saying (between a lot of bad things, I’ll admit it to you)is “OK, you like me but you dont really have confidence on me being able to run the PG in an NBA team, no problem, I can stay in sunny Spain and like my life as a baller.” NBA is his dream yes. Not his only dream.
Oh and to end on the agent’s issue. Rubio will keep Dan Fegan cause he’s not upset thats sure. And when I talked about the influence of those european agents I wasnt talking about Fegan only. Rubio and his crew have a lot of people around them according to some spanish media.
And once again, people are hating on him because if it wasn’t for Rubio’s decisions (AND his agent, but it is still Rubio for following through on them), Rubio would have gone fourth.. third… he may have even gone second in the draft! Instead, he put himself in the position to GET picked fifth, and be screwed by a newbie GM picking for a bad franchise.
So yes, the situation sucks, and if Rubio had played all his cards right, I’d feel REALLLLY bad for the kid. But Rubio didn’t. You cannot feel bad for Rubio.
As I said, if he fires his agent, I’ll change my tune. Until then, I will keep repeating: he made his bed, sleep in it
My bad about Fegan, he is american. Sorry for that inexcusable error that make my first comment irrelevant. But thats what I said on my second response : according to spanish media, Fegan is not the only one who helps Rubio with his decisions. And I maintain everything I said about those european agents. Once again, ask a lot of good young soccer players what they think about those people. But that was my bad, I admit it without a problem (I can accept other people ideas without thinking I’m the only one who’s right, I dont think thats the case for everyone around here, and I dont talk about you on that one). And everything you tell me after that is right. But I still dont understand. Why hating on a kid for his decisions or the ones from his crew??? Like you said, those are his decisions, he made his bed and he’ll sleep in it. But why the hate??? What did that kid do to commenters on Slamlonline, really??? Nothing. At all. Thats his life, his career, his choices. did you see him cry since the Draft??? Did you see him fall into depression because everything falls appart???? If you did, give me the link. Cause in Marca, one of the biggest Spain’s sports daily newspapers, he seemed to be OK with his situation. I can accept you telling me he was no the smartest kid on the face of earth for the last two months. But please, explain to me : why the hate??? did that kid insult NBA fans??? did he murder LeBron James??? Did he spit on David Stern (at least maybe people would have loved him for that…)??? did he tell people they were not worth his skills??? No. No. No. And no. Why the hate??? You’re right, we cannot feel bad for him. Does it mean we need to claim he is a b*tch??? He and his crew made decisions. Ricky will assume them like he did for all his professionnal career. That may be the difference between Rubio and a normal draft pick. A normal draft pick just dreams of any NBA team that can give him a contract. Ricky thinks as the professionnal he’s been for years : wanting to leave only for a better situation. And I repeat : I dont think the T-Wolves with Flynn are a better spot for him than a starting-PG spot in Real Madrid’s roster. Even if I recognize he could have been in a different situation if he had played his cards better. Yep. Thats a tricky situation. I can admit his errors, they’re clear, but for one last time : why the hate??? why???
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