Who exactly is Ricky Rubio?
Ricky Rubio is a 19 year old basketball prodigy from Spain. Some people are claiming he can be the next big thing in the NBA. It seems the American basketball league is going global as it looks to sign talented players from all over the world. At the moment, the 19 year old is a club player in his home nation of Spain and plays on the Spanish National team. With his phenomenal skills as a point guard, Rubio has managed to attract big names interest from the NBA and is all set to join the Minnesota Timberwolves next year. It will take a few years before he becomes a huge star in America but if his previous record is anything to go by he looks like he will set the basketball world on fire.
The young basketball prodigy was born in a sporting upper middle class family in Spain in 1990. During his childhood, he started to show prowess in basketball and his father who happened to be a women’s basketball coach noticed his son’s budding talent. With support from his family, Ricky decided to pursue his dream of becoming a basketball player. At the age of only 14, he became the youngest player ever to be drafted into the ACB League; Spain’s biggest basketball league. That alone should be enough evidence of his skills on a basketball court, but he went on to represent his country in the Olympics at the age of 17. Spain played the USA in the final and that game seems to have been what got talent scouts interested in him to play in the NBA. Along with these records, last year he became the first player to be drafted into the NBA who was born in the 1990s. That fifth round draft pick came from the Minnesota Timberwolves who are now waiting for him to finish his season in Spain so that he can come to the States and join the team. He is all set to make his move to America in 2011.
The thing about Rubio is that he is a great all round basketball player. He is a great dribbler and a very adept handler of the ball going into the basket. He has a knack for finding his teammates for unbelievably accurate passes and has the ability to pick out the right player at the right time. His skills at sinking almost impossible trick shots and his crazy dribbling skills made him an internet sensation when he was first starting out in the game. Despite his young age, he is charming enough to have become a spokesman for Nike and McDonalds. With his fame growing and a huge pool of fans waiting for him to perform magic in Minnesota, it looks like he could end up becoming the newest and hottest commodity for the team in the next few years time.
The interesting thing about the young man is the fact that he is so grounded and humble. He still manages to hang out with his childhood friends and lives in the same house as his parents. One of the most important things in Ricky’s life seems to be family and they are one of the biggest reasons why he is so grounded and down to earth. A strong work ethic and disciplined life style helped him become successful so far in life and now he is a very mature 19 year old. When other teenagers are out getting drunk and partying, he can be seen studying, making huge contract deals and helping his nation win basketball games.
There are those that think Rubio will not be able to cut it in the NBA because he will be up against a whole host of very talented young point guards and their scoring record seems to be much better than his. But despite the negative sentiments from some corners of the basketball fraternity, the only way to know how well Rubio will perform in the league is for him to get out there and start playing games. It could be that he shines and helps the Timberwolves achieve great things or it could also be that he succumbs to the pressure and crumbles in the next few years. We will just have to wait and see.
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