Finally... Ricky Rubio is coming to the NBA

I will be lying to you if I said that I didn't have more than a passing/professional interest in this story. Ever since his dominating performance at the FIBA Europe U16 Championship (more on this later), I've been enamoured with the young Spaniard's game.

Yes, a lot of super-talented young players have come and gone over the past few years: some have lived up to their expectations (Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose, Blake Griffin) and some have disappointed (Greg Oden, Hasheem Thabeet, Michael Beasley (mostly)). But there was always something different about the young Spaniard. Rubio's gifts were more mental than physical. Even as a teenager, he was mentally a step ahead of the adult players he played with in the Spanish League or in international competitions for Spain. It seemed that, somehow, the kid just gets basketball. If you know about him, I shouldn't have to point you to his highlight videos for proof. Hell, I'll do it anyways.

News broke a couple of weeks ago that the Minnesota Timberwolves, who drafted Rubio 5th in the 2009 NBA Draft, had finally signed him to a contract. Due to his contractual agreements with FC Barcelona, it took Rubio a few more days to announce the deal, and on a press conference on June 17th, he finally announced that he will be taking his talents to Minnesota.

FINALLY! Barring any Lockout-related tragedies (#LWord), we will finally be able to see the magical young point guard in action in the NBA this season. I have been waiting a long time for this: I first heard about Rubio via a SLAM Magazine article by Lang Whitaker back in 2007, and I was immediately curious to see if his game could back up his accolades.

Rubio has been the youngest player ever to play in the Spanish ACB League, when he made his debut for DKV Juventut as a 14 year old in 2005. 14, and playing amongst adults in probably the second-best domestic league in the world. He played for Juventut for four years. But it was his performance at the FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship that cemented his young legacy.

During the tournament in August 2006, Rubio achieved two triple-doubles and a quadruple-double. In the 110–106 double overtime Final victory over Russia, Rubio scored 51 points, grabbed 24 rebounds, made 12 assists, and stole the ball 11 times! He also forced the first overtime with a three-point, buzzer-beating shot from mid-court. Rubio was subsequently named the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after leading it in points, rebounds, assists and steals.

He was named FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008, was voted the Spanish League's best point guard in 2008, and was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year in the 2008-09 season. In his four years, he won a FIBA EuroCup championship and the ULEB Cup championship with Joventut. Ricky was recognized as Europe's overall best basketball player by being named Mr. Europa in 2008.

2008 was the same year that Ricky was selected in the Spanish senior national team for the Beijing Olympics. At 17, he was playing point guard maturely for essentially the second-best team in the world. He started in the final against Team USA, and showed incredible offensive and defensive vision in a losing effort. Ricky was later part of the Spain team that won the EuroBasket 2009.

At 18, after declaring for the NBA draft, and promptly taken by the Timberwolves as their 5th pick, Ricky decided not to go to the NBA, or rather the Timberwolves, and his contract was bought from Joventut by FC Barcelona, with whom he announced that he will stay for at least another two years before crossing the Atlantic. He has since won the Spanish League Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, FIBA European Young Player of the Year for three straight years, the MVP of the Catalan Cup in 2009, and the EuroLeague Rising Star award in 2010.

His Barcelona side has won everything in Europe with him and with plenty of other stars, including the EuroLeague and the Spanish League.

Across the pond however, Rubio's controversial decision to stay in Spain another two years made him a very unpopular person in the NBA circles. Fans questioned his toughness to stick with NBA players, and they questioned his toughness to stay away from home in the first place. From sunny Barcelona to the very not-so-sunny Minnesota. From the Spanish League to the world's most competitive basketball league in the NBA. Is he overrated? Are we judging him too much based on YouTube? His meager statistics last season with Barcelona were 6.5 ppg and 3.5 apg. He even lost his starting spot at one point in the season.

Do we believe the hype?

Yes, I say, but now, with some careful doubt. Yes, there are a lot of question marks surrounding his game. Yes, he has digressed slightly over the course of the season. Yes, he is a scrawny little kid about to be fed alive to the big boys.

Those were the cons. These are the pros:

- He's still only 20 years old, and already has 6 years of professional senior basketball experience. He has represented Spain's senior national team since 2008 and Europe's best basketball team, Barcelona, for the last 2 years. He has won a lot. At this age he already has a winning blueprint all over him. He has learnt well, and while most players of his age are still rookies, his adjustment won't be to the pro game, it would be to the game in the NBA, something that, given some time, he will be able to master.

- Don't be fooled by the size - Ricky pestered two of the NBA's best point guards in Chris Paul and Deron Williams defensively in the Olympics. And is other tiny-looking guys like Brandon Jennings, Jrue Holiday, and not to mention Steve Nash can make it, why not Ricky?

- Don't be fooled by the stats either. In his 1 year with Lottomatica Roma of the Italian Lega A in Europe, Brandon Jennings averaged 5.5 ppg and 2.2 apg. But the European system is much different to the NBA and the stats are not comparable In the NBA with the Milwaukee Bucks for the last 2 years, Jennings has averaged 15.8 ppg and 5.3 apg. And even those stats lie. Players with European experience or European style of play such as Jennings, Tony Parker, and Rubio don't need big stats to be effective. They do it via defense, making the extra pass, and just being complete ball players instead of being scorers or passers. In this sense, I have no doubt that Rubio will be successful in the NBA.

Now the question is: will he actually stay in Minnesota. The Timberwolves, with Rubio, will probably run a starting lineup of: Rubio, Wesley Johnson, Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, and Darko Milicic. But their advantage is that they also have the second pick in the NBA draft, which will probably be used for 6 foot 9 combo forward Derrick Williams. Now someone out of Love, Beasley, or Williams will have to go. Who will it be? And will the T-Wolves give Rubio away in a deal with one of them? There are doubts if Rubio will be motivated/happy to play in Minnesota, but he has value and the Timberwolves can get a good player in return for him by sending him to a big market.

A lot of questions abound the Timberwolves right now, and no one knows what their line-up really will look like when (and if) the season starts. No one is sure if Rubio will be there or not, but one thing is for sure, we will definitely, finally see him play on the big stage. In an article I wrote last January, I was sure that Rubio was exciting enough that, one day, he could become one of my favourite players in the league. I still believe it, and I'm hoping that after seeing him play in the NBA, some of you will start believing it too.

A look ahead: Harrison Barnes

I like to keep a roving eye on the future, especially when the current state of NBA teams will directly reflect on number one draft pick in the 2011 draft. Obviously, we are going to pretend to have a stony silence on that which shall not be mentioned (hint: seven letters, starts with an L, ends with a T, and could be goddamn annoying). So when David Stern climbs the podium to announce next year's top pick, the player I'm most expecting to be called up first is North Carolina small forward Harrison Barnes.

Barnes has been rated as the top prospect in the draft via several sources, including the one I respect the most, DraftExpress.com. The 6"8 forward is long, with a great wingspan, and is actually listed as a SG/SF on draft express. But what immediately attracted my attention towards him was Barnes' NBA comparison offered by NBADraft.net: Grant Hill.

Now, before the 38-year-old Hill became a model for geriatric basketball in the league, he was one of the most explosive all-round players in the league, way back in the 90s. In his prime, he was a poor man's, less explosive LeBron James, and was supposed to be the next Jordan before any of the other next Jordans.

Here's more information from NBADraft.net on Barnes:

Strengths: Athletic wing with long arms (7-foot wingspan), good muscle tone and excellent body balance ... Kid with a great attitude, work ethic and willingness to improve … Has a disciplined approach. Shows a good understanding of the game making positive decisions with the ball ... Has excellent form on his shot, and developing range … Can pull up off the dribble and hit shots … Does a good job of attacking the basket and creating contact and free throw shooting opportunities … Knocks down shots from the line at a good rate … Gives good effort on the defensive end getting low and using a proper defensive stance … Still shows a good deal of potential left in his game …
Weaknesses: Needs to work on improving his left hand and become equally adept at driving using either hand … Should look to improve his mid-range game and become a more consistent shooter from the perimeter …

As of now, the worst teams in the NBA are already on the 'Harrison Barnes' watch, because their position in the league will depend on their likelihood to get the first pick. The Clippers, Kings, Timberwolves, Nets, and 76ers are currently the league's five worst teams - all of them, except perhaps the 76ers, have a gaping hole in the small forward position and could use Barnes' services.

So while we pay attention to how this exciting season pans out, lets keep an eye on the future stars too... Barnes isn't the only one - players such as Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker, and Perry Jones are also gathering respect from NBA scouts. Let's just hope we see them in action next season and avoid the dreaded L-word.

And by the way... These won't be the only rookies coming to the league. A certain Spanish point guard phenom will finally be making his way to the States. Ricky Rubio was drafted fifth by the Timberwolves last year but is yet to make an appearance in the league. Rubio is currently with FCB Barcelona in Spain, where he has been dominating. Whether or not he joins the T-Wolves next season is another question...

Here is my near-fiendish ode to Rubio.

To Mock a Draft

Share|

In less than 48 hours, the NBA is going to be officially injected with a boost of fresh blood - the NBA draft will be held at the Theatre in Madison Square Garden, New York, where NBA teams will pick amateur players from US college basketball and other eligible players, including international players. The Washington Wizards won the lottery, and thus the rights to make the draft's first pick.

With the help of many different sources, including Draftexpress, SLAMOnline, Yahoo! Sports, ESPN, and other sources, I've been able to draw my own picture and predict how the players will be picked on the evening of June 24th / the morning of June 25th, if you happen to be watching from IST.

So, without further ado, here is Hoopistani's Mock Draft 2010 of the top 14 (lottery) picks:

1. Washington Wizards - John Wall: Wall was the favourite months before the lottery, during the lottery, after the lottery, today, and tomorrow. By far the most explosive player in this draft, Wall will immediately become one of the best young point guards in the league, adding competition to the likes of Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Derrick Rose, Rajon Rondo, Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings, etc. Move over Gilbert Arenas, it's gonna get Wall-E over in Washington!

2. Philadelphia 76ers - Evan Turner: There has been some talk of the 76ers potentially ignoring Turner and picking a big man like Derrick Favors, but they should play it safe and pick the former national player of the year. He's bound to become the best answer to their woes since The Answer himself.

3. New Jersey Nets - Derrick Favors: This is a draft class heavy on talented big men, and I feel Favors is the best one of them all. He will make a dangerous tandem in New Jersey with Brook Lopez.

4. Minnesota Timberwolves - Wesley Johnson: Johnson's stock has increased a lot recently, and some even expecting him to go third. I feel the Timberwolves will be calling the services of this talented wingman.

5. Sacramento Kings - DeMarcus Cousins: Cousins' attitude may have caused a drop in stock for him, but I feel any team will be dumb to let him fall outside the top 5.

6. Golden State Warriors - Greg Monroe

7. Detroit Pistons - Ed Davis

8. Los Angeles Clippers - Al-Farouq Aminu

9. Utah Jazz - Ekpe Udoh

10. Indiana Pacers - Xavier Henry

11. New Orleans Hornets - Luke Babbit

12. Memphis Grizzlies - Cole Aldrich

13. Toronto Raptors - Paul George

14. Houston Rockets - Gordon Hayward

Share|

Regal FC Barcelona win 2010 Euroleague

Share|

The most dominant basketball team in Europe, Regal FC Barcelona (Spain) beat Olympiacos (Greece) 86-68 in the final to win the Euroleague basketball tournament. Barcelona, led by Juan Carlos Navarro, Fran Vazquez, and my main man Ricky Rubio have been by far the best basketball team in all of Europe, and deservedly took the title on Sunday, in a final that was held at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris. Navarro, who scored a team high 21 points in the game, was named the final four MVP.

The Euroleague is the league where all the best teams from different European countries compete for the top crown. The final four of the tournament saw Barcelona beat CSKA Moscow (Russia) 64-54 and Olympiacos beat Partizan Belgrade (Serbia) 83-80 in overtime. In the final, Navarro, Rubio, and co went up against the Olympiacos team which featured former NBA players Linas Kleiza (Euroleague's top scorer) and Josh Childress.

Obviously, my main focus here is on Ricky Rubio. If you have been following, you would have known that I have reserved great praise for this supremely talented 19-year-old. Don't be fooled by the modest Euroleague averages - 6.8 points, 4.1 assists, 2.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals - Rubio was the best point guard in Europe and was named 2009-10 Rising Star of the Euroleague. He's now the point guard of officially the best basketball team in Europe, and I'm confident that he'll one day he's gonna become the best PG in the NBA. Timberwolves are you watching this?

In other Barcelona related news, I'm hoping that the city suffers a little this weekend. It's the last game of the Primera Liga, and Barca lead Real Madrid by ONE POINT, 96-95. I'm a Madrid fan, so my emotions for the Barca football team are exactly the opposite of how I feel about their basketball... Go Madrid!!!!

Share|

The fall of Da Kid

Switch on a Boston Celtic game now, and when you see Kevin Garnett struggling to pace up and down the basketball court, getting lost on the offensive end, and failing to match his outward intensity with efficient play, a new NBA fan may be fooled in believing that the thin 6’11” power forward could have ever been better than the 14 points and seven and a half rebounds per game he has averaged this season.

They couldn’t be more wrong.

Slowed by a right knee strain and nearly 34 years of his age, ‘KG’ has unfortunately become a mere shadow of the player that only two years ago was NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year, leading the Celtics to an NBA championship in the 2007-08 season. In 15 years in the league, he’s the same player that has averaged 19.9 points and 10.9 rebounds a game. He’s the same player that was the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 2003-04 season, recording career highs in points (24.2), rebounds (13.9), blocks (2.2), getting 5 assists a game, and leading the league in rebounds. He’s the same player that has been named to every NBA all star game since his second season in the league.

Allow me to re-introduce to you one of the greatest basketball players of the past 15 years, and one of my personal favourites since I first started to watch the NBA: Kevin Garnett, or as he used to be called as a youngster straight out of high school, ‘Da Kid’.

KG is a Celtic now, but he has become to the Minnesota Timberwolves franchise what Michael Jordan is to the Chicago Bulls, what LeBron James is to the Cleveland Cavaliers, what Reggie Miller is to the Indiana Pacers, Gary Payton to the Seattle Supersonics, Dwyane Wade to the Miami Heat, Dominique Wilkins to the Atlanta Hawks, Allen Iverson to the Philadelphia 76ers, and Tim Duncan to the San Antonio Spurs. These players, at least in the contemporary age of basketball, are the faces of the franchise, the first face that pops up in your head when you think of these teams.

Garnett spent 12 long, hard, and exemplarily loyal years with the T-Wolves, taking a below average team to the playoffs for eight straight years from 1997-2004. And below average is right, for except for that successful 2003-04 season, the best players that Garnett played with for the rest of those eight years was Wally Szczerbiak. Wally friggin Szearayaerabziaakkk!!!

The 2003-04 season was wonder for KG, for the T-Wolves got the services of Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell, and besides winning the MVP with this great supporting crew, Garnett took the team to the Western Conference finals for the first time, only to lose out to the ‘Fantastic Four’ Lakers team (Payton, Kobe, Malone, Shaq).

Through these years, what Garnett’s incredible stats didn’t say became part of his credibility. He was one of the league’s most dominating defenders, and his presence in the paint was enough to change the entire attacking philosophy of the opposing team. He was also one of the most passionate players to ever hit a basketball court, wearing every single emotion on his sleeve, so much so that it was impossible to not love his style of play.

Garnett’s influence on the NBA has been massive, both on and off the court. Before star players like Kobe Bryant, Jermaine O’Neal, Tracy McGrady, Amar’’’e Stoudemire, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard did it, Garnett broke a 20 year mould and skipped college to go straight from High School to the pros. And he was a freak of nature – a player that is nearly the height of the centre but with the on the ball skills of a perimeter slasher. KG played between small forward and power forward for most of his career, completely changing the required skill-set of a big man in the league – thanks to Garnett, you could be big and handle the ball like a guard.

And there’s yet another reason why I have a special affinity towards Da Kid: In July 2006, as part of a now-struggling Timberwolves team and constantly bothered by trade rumours, KG came to India as part of a promotional tour for adidas. The tour stopped in several Indian cities, and you can read about it here on KG’s Asia tour blog.

What made this tour special was that, by sheer providence, I happened to be in New Delhi on the day that Garnett was invited to a high school in New Delhi to hand out trophies for a youth basketball tournament in the city. I didn’t miss the opportunity to sneak in and catch sight of him, as he towered over hundreds of admiring school kids and about two dozen personnel and security men.

As KG was ushered by his security out the school gym after the awards ceremony and towards his bus, I ran up near him to have this now legendary conversation!

Me: KG!! KG!! Hey KG, you should join the Knicks man!
KG: [laughter]


Ya, that’s it. Then I took this photo

Almost exactly a year later, Garnett finally did get traded. Not to my hapless Knicks, but to the hapless Boston Celtics to suddenly reignite the fortunes of the legendary franchise. The Celtics were coming off another awful season, winning just 24 games and ending with the second worst record in the league. Even the Timberwolves won eight more games than them.

But this historic trade changed it all. After acquiring Ray Allen from the Sonics, Celtics then traded SIX players (SIX!) for Garnett. That is HALF THEIR ACTIVE ROSTER: Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, and Sebastian Telfair. Oh, and there was more, Celtics gave up a 2009 first round draft pick (top three protected) and a return of Minnesota's conditional first round draft pick, AND cash.

What happened the following season is stuff of folklore. KG joined Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in the Celtics to form a formidable ‘Big Three’, who went on to have the best record in the NBA with 66 wins, posting the best single-season turnaround in NBA history, improving by 42 wins from the previous season. Imagine that! The second-worst team gives up six players for one player, finds another sharp-shooter in Allen, and becomes the best team. It’s incredible.

Of course, this team went on to win the NBA finals against the Lakers, 4-2. After a 13 year hunt, KG’s dream of lifting the NBA trophy finally came true, and with it came what I believe is the most emotional moment in NBA basketball. Watch this video of Garnett’s post-game interview at the end of Game 6, right after the Celtics had blown out the Lakers to win the championship:



What is most amazing is how Garnett completely changed the basketball culture of Boston, getting the team and its fans used to winning again, becoming a top defensive team, and playing as an amazing well-oiled machine, so much so that the rest of the team played like him even when he wasn’t on the court. Garnett was the defensive player of the year that season. The league awarded the MVP to Kobe which seemed to me to be more like a lifetime achievement award, but it really should’ve gone to Garnett for being the single most valuable player in the whole league.

So it goes: it is now two years since that legendary season, and age seems to have finally caught up with KG (and the rest of the Celtics). Thanks mostly to Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen this season they are still one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference, but far from the untouchable world beaters that they looked merely two years ago. As of now, the Cavs seem to be the favourites to win the East, and teams like the Magic are looking formidable too. Out West, the Lakers, Nuggets, Mavericks, Jazz are all gunning for the title, and the Celtics have a lot of hard work to do to win another championship.

Da Kid is now an old man (well, in the pro-basketball sense, at least!) and is no more the game changer that he once used to be. He is still an elite talent, of course, but to lift his team to the top of the NBA summit again, KG has to rise to the occasion and prove that he still has what it takes to be amongst the world’s best. Rondo has been amazing this season, and Allen has found his brilliant shooting touch again. Pierce is great, but inconsistent. In the end, I believe it all rests on the Garnett’s broad shoulders.

But as KG himself proclaimed in that famous interview after winning his first championship: ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!

The Ricky Rubio Article

One day, Ricky Rubio will be my favourite player in the NBA.

It was about time that I wrote this. See, every thoroughbred basketball fan has that one player that, for some inexplicable reason, he or she supports no matter the circumstances. Whether the player succeeds, fails, or spends his career in the purgatory of the mediocres, the fan will side by him, give him the benefit of the doubt, and write in a vote for him in the all star game.

In April 2007, Lang Whitaker of the SLAM Magazine found a lanky little 16-year-old kid in Spain named Ricky Rubio and exposed him to me and the rest of the world. The title of this article was something close to 'El Prodigio: The best player in the world you've never heard of'.

At his young age, Ricky was being compared to everyone from Pete Maravich to Drazen Petrovich to Steve Nash to Magic Friggin Johnson. He was six days short of his 15th birthday when he became the youngest player to ever play in the Spanish ACB League, probably the most competitive basketball league in the world outside of the NBA. Ricky appeared for the side DKV Joventut for four years.

With Joventut, Ricky was named FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year in 2007 and 2008, was voted the Spanish League's best point guard in 2008, and was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year in the 2008-09 season. In his four years, he won a FIBA EuroCup championship and the ULEB Cup championship with Joventut. Ricky was recognized as Europe's overall best basketball player by being named Mr. Europa in 2008.

He was 17.



The more I followed his game, statistically and on YouTube, the more I liked it. Here was a youngster who overpowered opponents with his basketball IQ more than any other weapon. He seemed to be a intelligent floor leader who did whatever was necessary to win, with a delicate balance of efficiency and spectacular flair to the game that recalled the Maravich/Nash/Magic comparisons. In his fifth year as a pro (all in his teenage years), Ricky has largely dominated the game against talented full-grown adults in his prolific young career.

2008 was the same year that Ricky was selected in the Spanish senior national team for the Beijing Olympics. The team was one of the favourites of the tournament, and Ricky stood amongst experienced NBA-known names such as Pau Gasol, Marc Gasol, Jose Calderon, Rudy Fernandez, Raul Lopez, Jorge Garbajosa, and Juan Carlos Navarro. This was the first time that I got to watch Ricky play outside of grainy YouTube videos, and he impressed me tremendously. At 17, he was playing point guard maturely for essentially the second-best team in the world. He started in the final against Team USA, and showed incredible offensive and defensive vision in a losing effort. Ricky was later part of the Spain team that won the EuroBasket 2009.

At 18, after declaring for the NBA draft, and promptly taken by the Timberwolves as their 5th pick, Ricky decided not to go to the NBA, or rather the Timberwolves, and his contract was bought from Joventut by FC Barcelona, with whom he announced that he will stay for at least another two years before crossing the Atlantic.



His Barcelona squad are now the best team in Europe, and Ricky is probably the best point guard in the entire continent.

Still only 19, Rubio is sure to be one of the most exciting players to watch in the future. My Knicks have always had an interested eye on him, and tried several times after the draft to snag him away from the Timberwolves.

It now seems that they're trying again, says the NY Post:

Ricky Rubio, whom the Wolves drafted sixth, is playing in Spain this season, switching teams to FC Barcelona. That actually turned out well for the Knicks, who are still marking his progress.
Knicks international scout Kevin Wilson, who's responsible for their pick of Danilo Gallinari, lives in Barcelona and the Regal Barcelona team is his hometown club. It has been well-documented Wilson is friends with the Rubio family and Ricky's parents would love to see the Timberwolves deal him to New York.
Wilson is in town this week as the Knicks have their scouting meetings as a prelude to the Feb. 19 trading deadline and discussing available point guards will be a priority.
Knicks president Donnie Walsh told The Post the last time he spoke to Wolves president David Kahn, his former assistant in Indiana, he was told Minnesota wasn't accepting trade offers now. Rubio is averaging 5.6 assists for Barcelona and showing marked improvement, but he's still leery about spending his career in Minnesota.
"David has told me he wants to bring Ricky over for next season," Walsh told The Post.
Beyond signing a maximum free agent, the Knicks will be in the market for a point guard this offseason since Chris Duhon and Nate Robinson will become free agents and aren't likely to be re-signed.

Come on, Donnie, bring down the future best PG in the league to the MSG. LeBron/Wade/Bosh could use his help. Hell, if the dream offseason turns out to be a nightmare, at least Lee, Gallinari, Chandler, etc. will be assured that someone decent is bringing the ball upcourt every possession instead of useless Chris Duhon. D'Antoni could use Ricky's style well, too...

See for yourself, non-believers:



Whether he joins the Knicks, or the Timberwolves, or anyone else; and whether he comes to the league this offseason or in 2011, I know that I will be voting for him in the All-Star team, senselessly defending his slumps, and buying my nephew his signature shoes for years to come...

Update: A representative for Rubio's agency in Spain believes that the Knicks don't have much of a chance of getting Rubio. Oh, well...