Since being drafted by the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves back in 2009, he was already being called the “next big thing.” After deciding not to play when he was drafted and go back and play in Spain with Barcelona, led many to doubt if he was ready for the next level of his game.
Since he has been brought in now, he has blown up and shown signs of becoming a top notch superstar. The floppy haired kid who many say remind you of the great late “Pistol” Pete Maravich, with his fashion and passing capability has already left a indication on the NBA and what he could do.
After sitting and learning for a bit, he’s now a bona fide starter for the Wolves, which of course is where they had planned on getting him in the first place, but they let him sit for a bit, get comfortable and now let loose his game.
And it’s working our wonderfully in Minnesota. The anticipation of getting to see Rubio here in the states was pretty colossal. I can’t remember buildup over a kid like this since LeBron’s appearance in 2003 coming from high school. But for a foreign born player, nothing I can remember had this kind of hype attached to it.
Rubio has been playing professional ball since a teenager and has developed some mad skills passing the ball, which was his forte. Looking at his numbers though in Spain didn’t really show his skills though, with very modest numbers roughly avg of 7/PPG 4/APG, he couldn’t be that good, could he?
Yet he was the sensation, who was gonna show what point guards are believed to be in the basketball. The T-Wolves last year were certainly nothing to be hyped about, although the splendid development of PF Kevin Love gave them some hope for a star to enjoy, but other than that, they really didn’t have anything at the PG spot that led them.
Now, let’s look at the Wolves this year, they are already a great deal better than where they were at this point last season. Ricky picks teams apart with his incredible vision, great handle on the pill and smart play. And he’s only 21.
Compared to other rookie PGs in the league, Rubio is looking razor-sharp, with 11 PPG (4th overall), 4.7 RPG (1st in PGs), 8.7 APG (1st in PGs) and 2 SPG (2nd). Not too shabby. He’s intelligent with the ball, he epitomizes what a true PG is in the game, he’s all about getting his teammate the ball and getting them the best shots possible.
Of course, his shot has taken a ton of criticism from many, because it is weak, no doubt. He doesn’t penetrate that well, and lacks a consistent jump shot, once he develops that he will be stellar. Let’s remember Jason Kidd had a career 40% FG shooting for years, now, as he become prehistoric, he unexpectedly became a very dangerous 3 point shooter today.
Now Rubio brings excitement to the team, Love developed into a genuine superstar last year, with Ricky on his side, they have a fantastic foundation for a bright future. We still are just seeing the beginning of Rubio and his career, let him actually grow up some, fill out and in about 3-4 years, at the ripe old age of 24, let’s see who is one of the top 2 PGs in the game.
Who knows, can Love and Rubio become the next Stockton and Malone? And Love has more game outside than Malone ever had, which spreads the floor. It’s completely conceivable that Love noticed the young talent around him and anticipated a clear future ahead of them, and decided to stick around with his new signing.
I fully expect Rubio to continue to grow and get even better throughout his NBA career. Written by Tony Karpinski.
Tony Karpinski contributes free NBA winners and articles right here at www.aasiwins.com.
