The Ricky Rubio Effect

Ricky Rubio: Spain's next big thing

Every great person, in any field of life, almost always had someone who assisted him, without receiving much fanfare or recognition. The case of the Minnesota Timberwolves is something similar. Remember, this was a team that lost their franchise player Kevin Garnett in 2007, and have been struggling ever since. For those of you who don’t recall this trade, on July 31, 2007, the Timberwolves traded all-star Garnett to the Boston Celtics for Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, two first-round draft picks and cash considerations, the largest combination of players and picks ever traded for a single player in NBA history. Such was the situation of the team that they had to trade Garnett and hope to rebuild from there on.

Ricky Rubio is not an ordinary kid. He was highly rated ever since he made himself known to the basketball world. Rubio has been rated by basketball scouts as possibly the best-ever European prospect. At the age of 14, Rubio played in Spain’s ACB, one of Europe’s top pro leagues, for DKV Joventut Badalona near his Catalan hometown of El Masnou. A year later, he led Spain to FIBA’s Under 16 European title, picking up a quadruple-double on the way. A stat that is even more impressive from that tournament came in the final where Spain beat Russia in double-overtime. Rubio picked up 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists, seven steals and one half-court buzzer-beater to force the first OT. At the age of 16, he led the Euroleague in steals.

So what made Rubio such a coveted prospect in the basketball world? Well, for starters, the accolades that he received before he was NBA draft eligible. This brings me to the 2009 NBA draft: Minnesota had four first-round draft picks and picked Rubio fifth overall in the hopes of pairing him with Kevin Love. It wasn’t smooth sailing as the T-Wolves had to negotiate a buyout with his parent team, DKV Joventut Badalona. In an ESPN article dated September 1, 2009, Rubio, despite stating his desire to play in the NBA, was not ready to move at the age of 18. Timberwolves President David Kahn was both disappointed and optimistic. “Of course there’s disappointment, but I don’t think that disappointment should overshadow the big picture, which is, he’s still so young. It appears now we will have a two-year wait. But if you frame it as he’ll be 20 years old and he’ll have two more years to develop, I can think of a lot worse things to happen to us as a franchise,” said Kahn. And so it was. Rubio signed a deal with FC Barcelona Bàsquet and was to remain in Spain for at least two years before a potential move to Minnesota to line up alongside Love, who in the meantime set the record for the longest double-double streak since the ABA/NBA merger in 1976. Love’s streak ended at 53 and for a team struggling throughout the season, it was a streak well received by coaches, fans and players around the league.

The year 2011 saw Rubio finally don an NBA jersey as he began his career in the U.S. He made his debut on December 26, 2011 in front of a sell-out crowd, which coincidentally was Minnesota’s first sell out crowd since the 2007/08 season. One could already see the fans’ belief in their team go up. It’s interesting to note how a 21-year-old Spaniard can do so much to lift the morale of an ailing franchise. Rubio was selected to participate in the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge as a member of Team Shaq and contributed 10 points and seven assists (most of them outrageous plays, adding to his already growing repertoire). The T-Wolves, meanwhile, are looking to make the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

It is always sad when players get injured, and Rubio was unfortunate to suffer a torn ACL in his left knee as he collided with Kobe Bryant. The injury has robbed the T-Wolves of their rookie point guard, who has helped turn the franchise into one of the most exciting in the NBA this year and has left Spain with a big hole in their backcourt as they look ahead to the London Games. Rubio will miss the rest of the NBA season, and it is an injury that stings both the team and the fans. The rookie, who’s become the symbol of his team’s resurgence falling helplessly on the court and waving for help, is not something anyone wanted to see right now, but as Love put it, “We cannot feel sorry for ourselves. We have to accept and move on.” The T-Wolves must put Rubio’s injury behind them as soon as possible if they are to focus on securing a playoff spot for themselves.

Whatever the outcome of this season for the Timberwolves, it will always go down as one where the team believed. Love and Rubio especially helped transform this struggling franchise’s fortunes into potential playoff contenders. I can’t wait for the next season already, for if this season is anything to go by, then the next one could only get better. And for Rubio, there’s a long road ahead, but one which should bring him numerous accolades. 

Originally Written for the Interrobang:http://www.fsu.ca/interrobang_article.asp?storyID=8302&sectionID=4&issueID=200
Image Credit: http://www.kare11.com/images/640/360/2/assetpool/images/111217103730_ricky_rubio_640.jpg
Video Credit:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM3ruckll_U