Hey Ricky You're So Fine!
How great would this kid be for the city?
by: Gregory Gethard
"Sensation" — The Ramones.
Sorry for the semi-obscure punk reference, but it's the first thing that comes to mind when I think about Ricky Rubio.
You may have seen Ricky the past few days. He's the 17-year-old, boy-band-looking kid who's the backup PG for Spain's basketball team, considered the biggest threat to America's golden hopes. And, for years, Rubio's been the talk of the basketball-nerd community.
Rubio started playing professionally in Spain's top league — regarded by experts as the second-best pro league in the world — at the age of 14. In just three years, he's become arguably the best point guard in Spain, known for his high basketball IQ, a court vision like a hoops "Robocop" and a flare for the daring highlight-reel pass.
He's got the pickpocketing skills of a gang member from "The Warriors," having led the league in steals. During a game against Russia in the U-16 European Championships, he put up a stat line, which would make high school era LeBron blush: 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists and 7 steals. Three of his points came on a half-court jumper at the end of overtime.
Haters have fair criticisms of him. Rubio's jump shot is more like a shot put. And it's next to impossible to tell how a kid, who grew up in a country where they take three-hour naps after lunch, would adjust to the hectic NBA lifestyle.
But still ... I don't think I've ever wanted a player to get drafted by one of the two local teams as much as I want Ricky to come here. He'd own this city, even if he does look like he was in 98 Degrees.
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