New blog and I'm just going to jump right into it. The name Ricky Rubio has come up a lot lately. Some of the discussion is about whether or not the Timberwolves will trade the draft rights of 2009's fifth player selected. Other talk is about the underwhelming performance of Rubio and Spain during the FIBA World Championships.
I was not very high on Ricky Rubio when he entered the 2009 NBA Draft. I understood why some people were. Rubio has lots of positives in his favor. He sees the floor very well, can make all the passes a PG must make, has an advanced understanding of the game for such a young age, and is a more than willing defender.
However, there are always two sides to a coin. In spite the positives I see Rubio’s negative keeping him from being the star that many expect. Rubio is my no means a slug but he is not impressive athletically. In a league where an East coast trip means facing guys like Rajon Rondo, Devin Harris, and John Wall athleticism is majorly important. That athleticism imbalance also makes another of Rubio’s negatives more glaring. Rubio can not score. Rubio does not finish well around the rim, lacks a mid-range game, and has a very slow shot from long range; which he doesn’t make with enough consistency.
Without the ability to “out-athlete” opponents and the inability to make them honor his scoring Rubio will not get consistent enough chances to utilize his talents. With limited advantageous opportunities the star PG projections won’t be reached. Still I think Rubio’s basketball IQ and willingness to defend will keep him from being a total flame out.
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