Ricky Rubio - Ricky Peral II
I cannot think of greater stupidity than the sport suicide the Spaniard Ricky Rubio has just committed.
At age 19 he was the 19th pick of the draft, taken by the Wolves. He had starred in his national team at age 17, being a notorious member of the runner-up in the last European Championship and the Olympics.
His wit and ball handling skills including passing, are rare in such a young player. He reached a solid position both in his Badalona team as well in a world class Spanish NT.
I honestly never understood what was so much fuss about him. He was highlighted because of his young age. Never mind he is a very suspect shooter an that he cannot jump and is not fast-footed. Calderón was much better, but was older (and less handsome). Sergio Rodriguez is not taken serious because of being a bid mad and turnover-prone, but he is entering his 4th season.
The press spoke highly of him as if he was the next world star, and in the USA it was noted. The Wolves gambled high, using the 5th pick, maybe thinking of a Al Jefferson-Rubio combinations.
Then he refused to go, just like Fran Vasquez did with the Magic, and instead gambled the market in Spain ending with Barcelona after making many of his Badalona fans extremely angry at him. He hays he wants to learn 2 more years in Europe before venturing overseas.
Ricky, what the hell are you gonna learn there? You are such a star no one will even dare push you around if you slack, or demand you to learn to shoot as a PG must. Playing the other Barcelona guards and many other ACB league mediocre ones will certainly not be the same as facing Nash, Allen Iverson, Billups, Tony Parker, Deron Williams and Chris Paul.
What is the problem of playing in Minnesota? Are you too good to play in a cold city in a bad team? Do you expect sympathy from anyone over there when you decide, and if you get a contract, to play in the NBA? Remember the Wolves will retain your rights. Just remember Duke's Danny Ferry that thought the Clippers were no good for him and went to Italy. When he came back, and was lucky the Cavs gave away Ron Harper for him, he found out he was not more than a 6'10'' white stiff who could not rebound, penetrate, defend or do anything else than shoot a few uncontested jumpers.
Now looking from the perspective of a basketball player, I cannot imagine the lack of ambition you may have. Any kid who grew up playing basketball dreams of the NBA. You turned down the opportunity from a team that would let you play big minutes. A team that invested in you a 5th pick. It is not the case of a European Star already making millions that does not want to lose money being the 12th player on a bad team.
Ricky, the Barcelona fans will demand championships in a snowball with you there. And that you will be in the NBA to arrive as a star. Anything short of that and you won't even be a Fran Vasquez. Not a Raul Lopez. More like a Ricardo "Ricky" Peral.
The former teammate of Tim Duncan and Wake Forest was frequently referenced in the media in the mid nineties, expecting that he would come to Real Madrid to become a star after finishing the NCAA career. I only saw him play in the 97 under-22 European. He was heavily praised by the TVE people when he got a ground-footed rebound or score a FT. I was personally shocked to see that not only he had no game at all, but that he also did not care about the game itself. Eventually he signed with PAOK and had a few low-numbers years before retiring.
Ricky, you are on the same track. You do not love the game, and are still a very raw point guard. Being good at 17 is not enough and not the same as being very good at 22. You are a matter of speculation, and you just made took yourself of out the stock exchange, without selling when high.
A small injury can make it all come down.
At age 19 he was the 19th pick of the draft, taken by the Wolves. He had starred in his national team at age 17, being a notorious member of the runner-up in the last European Championship and the Olympics.
His wit and ball handling skills including passing, are rare in such a young player. He reached a solid position both in his Badalona team as well in a world class Spanish NT.
I honestly never understood what was so much fuss about him. He was highlighted because of his young age. Never mind he is a very suspect shooter an that he cannot jump and is not fast-footed. Calderón was much better, but was older (and less handsome). Sergio Rodriguez is not taken serious because of being a bid mad and turnover-prone, but he is entering his 4th season.
The press spoke highly of him as if he was the next world star, and in the USA it was noted. The Wolves gambled high, using the 5th pick, maybe thinking of a Al Jefferson-Rubio combinations.
Then he refused to go, just like Fran Vasquez did with the Magic, and instead gambled the market in Spain ending with Barcelona after making many of his Badalona fans extremely angry at him. He hays he wants to learn 2 more years in Europe before venturing overseas.
Ricky, what the hell are you gonna learn there? You are such a star no one will even dare push you around if you slack, or demand you to learn to shoot as a PG must. Playing the other Barcelona guards and many other ACB league mediocre ones will certainly not be the same as facing Nash, Allen Iverson, Billups, Tony Parker, Deron Williams and Chris Paul.
What is the problem of playing in Minnesota? Are you too good to play in a cold city in a bad team? Do you expect sympathy from anyone over there when you decide, and if you get a contract, to play in the NBA? Remember the Wolves will retain your rights. Just remember Duke's Danny Ferry that thought the Clippers were no good for him and went to Italy. When he came back, and was lucky the Cavs gave away Ron Harper for him, he found out he was not more than a 6'10'' white stiff who could not rebound, penetrate, defend or do anything else than shoot a few uncontested jumpers.
Now looking from the perspective of a basketball player, I cannot imagine the lack of ambition you may have. Any kid who grew up playing basketball dreams of the NBA. You turned down the opportunity from a team that would let you play big minutes. A team that invested in you a 5th pick. It is not the case of a European Star already making millions that does not want to lose money being the 12th player on a bad team.
Ricky, the Barcelona fans will demand championships in a snowball with you there. And that you will be in the NBA to arrive as a star. Anything short of that and you won't even be a Fran Vasquez. Not a Raul Lopez. More like a Ricardo "Ricky" Peral.
The former teammate of Tim Duncan and Wake Forest was frequently referenced in the media in the mid nineties, expecting that he would come to Real Madrid to become a star after finishing the NCAA career. I only saw him play in the 97 under-22 European. He was heavily praised by the TVE people when he got a ground-footed rebound or score a FT. I was personally shocked to see that not only he had no game at all, but that he also did not care about the game itself. Eventually he signed with PAOK and had a few low-numbers years before retiring.
Ricky, you are on the same track. You do not love the game, and are still a very raw point guard. Being good at 17 is not enough and not the same as being very good at 22. You are a matter of speculation, and you just made took yourself of out the stock exchange, without selling when high.
A small injury can make it all come down.
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