Nineteen-year-old Spanish point guard Ricky Rubio is currently the NBA’s international man of mystery. NBA fans have heard about Rubio for years, and saw him more than hold his own in the Olympics. After Rubio was drafted fifth by the Timberwolves and chose to stay in Spain for at least a year, the intrigue about Rubio has only grown.
The Painted Area has an interview up with Pete Mickael, a teammate of Rubio’s on FC Barcelona. Here’s what the 31-year old forward had to say about the young star:
On Rubio’s developing offensive game:
“For being 19, he’s well beyond his years. For me, his mind is the same type of mind as Steve Nash for passing and having the mindframe to control the game. We’re not talking about having the exact same skill level, we’re talking about having the mind to control the game, in any situation...He’s proven himself. He goes to work every day, he comes in early to shoot. What I’ve learned for him is that his work ethic is second to none - this is what’s going to get him to the top.”
On Rubio’s Defense:
“And as flashy as he is with his moves, his ballhandling skills or his unbelievable passes, he’s sometimes as good on defense as he is on offense. That’s his skill that might go unknown in the NBA world, but here in Europe they can already appreciate that. I don’t know if he still leads the league in steals, but this guy plays unbelievable defense on the point guard and he rebounds the ball.”
On Rubio’s Transition to the NBA:
“I think it’s going to be an easy transition for him because the game in the NBA is so wide-open - it’s played perfect for him. Up and down, he can run all day. He can play screen-and-roll all day, he can play transition -- in the NBA, you’ve got a lot more of a transition game than in Europe. Guys go up-and-down a lot more, shoot the ball faster.”
I encourage you to read the full interview. They even talk about Fran Vazquez. (Don’t remember him? Ask a Magic fan, he sitll haunts their nightmares.)
