http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2009/news/story?id=4084579 By Chad Ford ESPN.com Ricky Rubio, the Spanish point guard sensation that has been compared to everyone from Pete Maravich to Steve Nash will declare for the 2009 NBA draft, his agent, Dan Fegan, told ESPN.com from Barcelona Monday afternoon. Rubio will have until June 15 to withdraw his name from the draft. However, his agent sounded confident that he's staying in. "Ricky will be in the 2009 draft," Fegan said. Fegan has been in Barcelona this week meeting with Rubio and his family trying to come to a decision. Rubio is the starting point guard for DKV Joventut in Spain and is widely considered the best young international player in the world. The 6-foot-4, 180-pound point guard from Barcelona has been a starter in the best basketball league in Europe since the age of 16. He made himself into an international phenomenon with his strong performance for Spain in the Olympics. Rubio more than held his own playing against NBA point guards like Chris Paul and Jason Kidd. This season he's averaging 10 points per game and six assists per game in the Spanish League in about 22 minutes per game. Rubio has been the consensus No. 2 pick on the ESPN.com Top 100 for the entire year. While scouts say that he needs to get stronger and work on his jump shot, the consensus is that he's got the talent to be a star. "He's special," one NBA GM told ESPN.com. "There aren't many kids you'll find at his age with such a terrific feel for the game. He just knows how to play. When he gets out there with players 10 years older than him, he just looks like he belongs. He'll have some adjusting to do in the NBA, but the truth is, he's as NBA ready as most of the college kids that are coming out. He's playing on a very big world stage." Rubio's decision to enter the draft comes after months of speculation that he might return to his DKV Joventut for one more year. For Rubio to leave for the NBA, he's going to have to pay Joventut a huge buyout to be released from his contract there. NBA teams are limited to paying just $500,000 toward an international player's buyout by the collective bargaining agreement. That means if Rubio wants to play in the NBA, he's going to have to pay some of the buyout out of his own pocket. Most likely, Rubio and Joventut come to some sort of compromise. If Joventut doesn't make it to the Spanish League Finals this year, most likely they won't be in the Euroleague next year. That puts more financial pressure on Joventut to come up with some sort of compromise that gives them financial relief from a buyout and allows Rubio to pursue his dream of playing in the NBA. Draft Profile http://www.nbadraft.net/players/ricky-rubio Do y'all think he will be a bust or a star? I would compare him to Jose Calderon. Who would y'all compare Rubio to?
He's an intriguing prospect, no doubt. I just question how NBA ready he really is at this point in his career.
If I am not mistaken, in the two games vs. USA he was totally overmatched vs. Chris Paul and Deron Williams (Kidd barely played the whole tourney), produced next to nothing, and in fact Calderon got more minutes.
He is intriguing no doubt but not only does he look skinny but slow as well. He will take a lot of time to adjust to the NBA despite his international experience. I don't think he can become a star.His ceiling appears to be that of a slightly better PG than Calderon. Sam is right about him being far behind Calderon at the present time in my opinion.
Patty Mills had a better showing at the olympics than Rubio did. I am be a biasd Aussie, but I would say Mills is a better draft choice than Rubio. Morey...do it! Mills to Houston.
im biased aussie fan and would love to see mills in a rockets jersey too! but seems like our future is set with lowry + brooks, lowry the tough defensive point guard and brooks our x-factor scorer.
Mills is a much better player that Aaron Brooks. Mills was the only player on our Olympic Squad that played well against Team USA. Chris Paul and Dreon Williams both spoke about how they were worried about him.
Rubio is a good player, he will be a nice PG for someone in the NBA. And, Sam, I think he was 17 during the Olympics....he did pretty good for someone that young. DD
Sorry for the double post. Patty is turning 21 and his numbers against Team USA, off the bench were as follows. 20 points, 3 assists, 2 steals and zero turnovers. That is against Jaosn Kidd, Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
Mills was averaging 14 points of the bench in the Olympics and he would have just turned 20 years old. V-Span averaged 4 points a game when he was 20 at the 2004 Olympics. Considering how much stronger the US team was in 2008 compared to 2004, I'd say Mills has a fair chance of have a bit more success that V-Span. You can look at all the statiscs you want, I've seen Mills play at the College level and the International level. He is muhc sontrger and a much better decision maker than our starting point guard. As I said before I'm biased, but I want the Rockets to try and get a late 1st round pick and use it on Mills.
He will be a good player but to say that "Rubio more than held his own playing against NBA point guards like Chris Paul and Jason Kidd." when the reality is that he got run out of the gym in the first game and didn't do too much the second game (not to mention, once again, that it was Deron Williams not Kidd.) is a bit of an exaggeration. Fernandez played well vs. US in the second game, as did Gasol & Navarro....that was pretty much it.
Yeah, Spain never challenged the US......and Rubio was a bench player for them....still, I wish the Rockets could pick him up.....he would not have trouble passing to Yao..... Of course.....there is the little matter of Yao catching it..but still...... DD
the person this probably hurts the most (ironically) in terms of draft position is Brandon Jennings who will now be no more than the second PG taken.
It will be interesting to see where B. Jennings falls......and you have to wonder what playing over in Europe for a year did for him. DD
I don't if you actually watched the games, but Calderon was out for the Final and Rubio played very well. I think he has the skills to be the next Jason Kidd. No doubt in my mind I will pick him over Blake Griffin. He could be a point guard for the ages.
