Ricky Rubio, Spanish hoopster phenom, finally goes to the NBA

Ricky Rubio Joins NBA

Ricky Rubio was selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves fifth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft but could not come to terms with a buyout from his team to come to America.

Now, his dream of showcasing his highly-touted skills as a guard is finally coming true. Last week, the 20-year-old Spanish phenom announced that he will end his contract for Regal Barcelona and join the NBA next season.

"I finally decided to go the NBA. I have a dream that now can become reality," Ricky Rubio said in a news conference in Barcelona. "The NBA will be very emotional, a difficult challenge but a very nice one."

Timberwolves' president of basketball operations David Kahn tried hard over the past two years to convince Ricky Rubio to play in the NBA. He was limited by financial constraints imposed by the NBA in buying out Rubio's contract. Rubio did not want to shoulder the majority of the bailout money then.

In hindsight, Kahn said the two years of staying in Europe made Rubio a better player, one who is much more prepared to face the rigors of the NBA.

Kahn envisioned Ricky Rubio as a vital building block for the Timberwolves in the post-Kevin Garnett era. He is expected to help fellow youngsters Michael Beasley and Kevin Love in forming a successful team in Minnesota.

Some basketball scouts and executives have described Ricky Rubio as the second coming of hoops legend Pete Maravich because the two players have similar flashy styles.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Monday June 20 2011, 6:10 AM EST. Ref: Reuters. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0