The Skilled Spaniard: Does Ricky Rubio Have Enough Talent To Become A Legitimate Star In The NBA

Photo Credit: By Elemaki/Wikimedia Commons

For people who aren’t familiar with Ricky Rubio, the highly rated Spanish guard from Barcelona is the youngest player to ever set foot in the courts of the Spanish ACB League.

In 2009, the Minnesota Timberwolves acquired Rubio as their 5th pick in the NBA Draft, however due to business negotiations, the Spaniard declined the deal. Ricky Rubio immediately signed with FC Barcelona and the experienced guard has been playing for the team ever since.

On Friday, Ricky Rubio had finally committed to Minnesota and has announced that he will become a member of the Timberwolves for the 2011-12 NBA season.

According to FCBarcelona.com, Rubio is tremendously excited and nervous of going to the USA. The explosive guard had stated a few comments in regards to the move.

“It motivates me to go and play with the best. I’m a bit frightened –I’ve never lived outside of Barcelona –but I am excited about starting this new adventure. It’s still about basketball, scoring and helping the team to win. Physically, it’s tougher than Europe – I’ll have to start weight training and improve what I’ve tried to do better here in order to grow as a player”.

For fans that have been following Rubio, it is clear that the Spaniard has the talent to become a force in the NBA. However, Rubio is currently 190 pounds and will need to get stronger in order to be able to create havoc in the paint.

Does Rubio have what it takes to become a legitimate star?

Only time will tell of Ricky Rubio’s capabilities. The Spaniard will need to get acclimated to the speed and overall raw talent that the NBA offers. In our minds, Rubio is a great passer, and has a chance to become a prolific guard in that regard. Rubio can also score the basketball. At an early age, the young Spaniard was able to showcase his talent repeatedly during the Spanish Nationals.

There is, however, a weakness that’s evident in Rubio’s game. The perimeter shot must improve in order for the guard to be become a legitimate star. The Spaniard will offset his lack of ability to shoot from the outside and compensate with great vision and leadership in transition.

Ricky Rubio at 6’3 in height has the dynamic to become a solid guard. The Spaniard is experienced and truly understands the game of basketball. Rubio can easily be compared to a player such as Steve Nash or even Jason Kidd in his early days.

Ricky Rubio might not be an instant star in the NBA, but the talented guard should be able to assist the Minnesota Timberwolves in every facet of the game.