The lengths to which you go to embarrass yourself on the BBS in pursuit of attention never cease to amaze. Stockton was plenty quick as a young player, probably among the quickest in the league and capable of beating most of the league off the dribble. Mark Jackson was an NYC playground legend who wasn't exactly slow either. Further shutting up is advised - your flapping and fwapping here is going to dissuade future posters from giving you rep.
Well, let's see what happens when a 19 year old that almost everyone associated with pro basketball gushes about gets to the league. With the no hand checking rules, I think he will make an immediate impact...and be an all star PG for many many years. DD
i haven't seen anything impressive yet out of rubio. at least nothing impressive for a guy drafted number 2 overall
...so many ridiculous things in this post. Same argument as before - to say an elite NBA defender can shut down Rubio isn't really a knock on Rubio is it? This is the same as saying Rubio isn't fast enough to be Steve Nash or strong enough to be Kidd - your saying he sucks because at 19 he doesn't compare to a handful of the very best players in the world. That's an idiotic argument. Bynum/Gasol twin towers? They just won back to back championships for christ sake. No one in the league can match that size inside....but I guess you think he sucks because you think he can't do what 29 other teams in the league also have trouble with. Honestly, how many truly defensive space clogging big men are in the league anyway? Bynum, Howard, Yao, maybe Gasol, slow Kendrick Perkins and then who? You act like every team has a collection of defensive ace big men. This isn't 1992 anymore. ...and why wouldn't the Hornets put Paul on Rubio? Chris Paul is an all NBA defense player - you act like he is some defensive slouch just because the USA team isn't a strong defensive squad. And watching Rubio I don't think anyone thinks he is going to come into the league and be a perimeter scoring threat. If you think that's his NBA level skill then you either aren't really watching or you have missed the point entirely. No one was wowed by the amount of points he put up on the USA team - it was the fact he made his team far more dangerous every time he stepped on the court. Your telling me that skill won't translate in the NBA? ....it seems to me your too stuck in the mode of thinking what an elite NBA PG should be in your mind and not judging him based on what he does on the court. He's not going to be a guy who is going to put up 30 a night and get 10 dimes...he's not going to use his speed to drive to rim every time and kick out to open shooters a la Nash or Deron Williams. He's much more of an old school PG...maybe averages 15-19pts a night and about 12 dimes on a bad team(and many more assists on a good team). You might not think those are successful numbers but look at what a guy like Nash did for his team with similar numbers and tell me that there isn't value in having a guy who just plain makes his team better.
Stockton was quick but it's not like he lived in the paint - those were the days when guys like Oakley, Anthony Mason, Mahorn, and Dennis Rodman patrolled the paint. Stockton knew better than to take it in against guys like that. He developed a decent mid range jumper instead and took to pulling up rather than going into the trees.
an elite pg has to be able to score in the nba and i don't think he can. the only one who couldn't score that great is jason kidd, and he is not jason kidd. he is just an overrated overhyped player. i mean come on, he was drafted by david kahn of the twolves. you guys really think kahn made a good draft pick. nobody is saying that rubio won't be an nba player, or maybe even a starter. but for the number 2 pick in the draft he looks pretty weak to me
I think it's difficult to predict how an international guard will play in the NBA. I don't think he has superstar written all over him but we'll see how he turns out. Chances are he'll end up somewhere in the middle of what people here say he'll be and in a few years both sides will be saying they were right.
it was rumored. but if morey really wanted rubio he would have gotten rubio. we know morey gets what he wants. no way morey would have taken that guy with the 2nd pick. and he is not even over here yet. until he plays and plays well in the nba, everyone needs to stop with the rubio love fest. so far he is all hype
I don't know what game some of y'all were watching. Speed: I didn't see anyone catch him on a fast break. I did see him blow by midcourt and go behind the back with defenders on both sides that were left in his wake. Quickness: I saw him get to the lane when he wanted. Tempo: The game had a much faster feel when he was in there. If Spain converts on a few more threes and layups, they win going away. If Spain played him a bit more, they win. Defense: The guy picked off two great steals. With a little coaching on NBA defense and position, he'll be fine. With a little more strength and seasoning, I see him as an Alvin Robertson type on D. Shot: Needs work, but not bad. Probably on par with a lot of stars at the same age. Court vision. Beyond elite. He sees the whole court geometry at eye level, foot level, and rim level at the same time. Most people we would give the elite rating to can only see a small part of the court at anything more than eye level. Match Rubio with a good cutter and a big man with hands and it is over. Great is such a subjective word. I save it for players who were not only excellent, but also redefined their position or elevated the game of basketball. I don't know if he'll meet that definition, but he will make a bunch of awesome plays and he will be really fun to watch. He also has as good a chance as anyone because the NBA game sorely needs an infusion of creativity and passing these days.
also we have brooks and lowry, i don't think morey was ever serious about rubio unless he wanted to somehow trade him to the knicks for 26 future draft picks
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/basketball/2010-08-22-4288972765_x.htm U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski expects Rubio to be a great NBA guard as he continues to physically grow. "He's gotten bigger and he plays outstanding defense, and because he's a pass-first guard he's going to be liked by everybody who plays with him," said Krzyzewski, whose U.S. team came up against Rubio in the Olympic final two years ago. "He's improved his shooting and he's not afraid." USA Today The teenage point guard scored seven points and had three assists for Spain, and proved to be a key player at the "Magic Box" center down the stretch thanks to impressive dribbling and no-look passes. While Kevin Durant managed to block Rubio's last-gasp attempt at the close, the Oklahoma City forward came away impressed from his first brush with the 19-year-old. "He's an amazing defender, that's one thing that stood out to me is how well he pressured the ball and disrupted our offense," said Durant, who led the game with 25 points. "He's flashy, he's crafty as well and the passes he did tonight were kind of amazing." USA Today Even Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose came away impressed from their duel, despite Rubio stealing from him on at least two occasions. But Rose got the better of Rubio as he got past the Spaniard on a drive to the basket that led to the lay-up with the clock winding down. Shortly after Rubio turned it over, Rose sealed the game with two free throws. "It was great just to test him. He's a young player and he played great," Rose said. "He really runs the offense well ... I think he's ready for the NBA." USA Today
Well what do they know anyway? LOL....come on.....some people won't acknowledge anything.....regardless of how people that know basketball more than they do feel. DD
Yeah, that was the rumor. If the rumor is true, then I'd say we shouldn't dismiss him so quickly yet.
From all that we have heard he has been trying to get him for 2 years now.....and probably still is.....should tell people a lot...but nah.....it won't. DD
First off, I'm not a fan of the hype. Matter of fact, it is quite off putting. However, as much as I wanted to dislike his game and dismiss him as an over hyped and overrated prospect, I was impressed with Rubio during the US vs Spain game. The most obnoxious hate is when he is compared to hof or future hof players and then scrutinized for not being as good as them. Not one of them, but all of them. He can't pass like Stockton, he can't shoot like Nash, he can't rebound like Kidd, or defend like Payton...yeah, neither can 90% of other PGs. FYI: If he falls short of all those PGs, he can still be great.
