By John McMullen
Philadelphia, PA - The skill is certainly there, but I'm not sure Ricky Rubio is ready for the NBA.
Of course, you could make that statement about virtually any 18-year-old kid. The physicality of The Association is usually too much for any player still maturing into his own body.
Only a genetic freak like LeBron James can hit the ground running. That said, my concerns on Rubio tend to skew more toward the mental makeup it takes to survive in the NBA.
In case you haven't noticed, our 24-7 news cycle has been eating up and churning out athletes at a breakneck pace recently. Whether it's Stephon Marbury baring his soul on UStream or Michael Beasley accidentally leaving a bag of hippie lettuce in a picture on Facebook, athletes have to realize the red-light is always on.
After watching the way Rubio handled his buyout negotiations with DKV Joventut, I'm not sure the Spanish wunderkind is ready for the kind of round- the-clock surveillance that comes with being a star in the U.S. I'm not accusing Rubio of anything, except lacking the maturity at this point in his life to handle the grind that is the NBA.
Last week the Spanish newspaper Via Marca reported that Rubio, who was selected with the fifth overall pick of the 2009 draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, had worked out a buyout with Joventut and subsequently agreed to a six-year contract with Regal Barcelona.
That was news to T-Wolves president David Kahn, who released a statement on the team's official Web site disputing the report.
"Based on the information I have attained, no team in any league has reached a deal with DKV Joventut concerning Ricky's buyout, which must be accomplished before Ricky is released from his contract with DKV Joventut," Kahn said.
In fact, Kahn was convinced he landed Rubio over the weekend.
"On Saturday night, an agreement was reached between Dan Fegan (Rubio's agent), Jordi Villacampa (the president of Joventut) and myself on behalf of the Minnesota Timberwolves to buy out the last two years of Ricky's contract with Joventut so that he could play in the NBA next season," Kahn said on Tuesday.
Whether it was the impending Twin Cities winter, a desire to remain in his homeland or a last minute ploy to force a deal to a more desirable location (New York, anyone?), Rubio waffled with the skill of a seasoned politician.
"While the term sheet was being finalized Monday night, Ricky informed me that, despite considering us his first option the previous weekend - and, admittedly, after some back-and-forth throughout the summer - he preferred to stay at home to play for FC Barcelona, which earlier this summer had made a buyout offer to Joventut," Kahn said.
At this point, I'm not sure what Rubio's top skill is, his vaunted passing ability or his impressive capacity to change his mind like a tween girl wavering between which Jonas brother she likes the most.
For what it's worth, Kahn took the high road despite being left at the altar.
"This morning I met with Ricky and his parents and told them that I understood Ricky's decision," the Wolves basketball chief said. "It was clear to me yesterday and in this morning's meeting that the pressure surrounding Ricky and his family to remain in Spain for at least two more years had only intensified as the summer wore on and was weighing heavily on them.
"The NBA is the best basketball league in the world, by far. As an 18-year-old man, Ricky would have been challenged on a nightly basis to a degree he has never experienced. In order for Ricky to meet this challenge fully, I believe it is important that his family and other people important to him were comfortable with the move to the NBA and fully supportive.
"I also agreed with Ricky's position that two more years of competition in Spain and the Euroleague will only aid his development and that he will be much more ready for the NBA when he joins us."
Kahn was also left to deal with a disgruntled and dwindling fan base. The Wolves are in a rebuilding mode after a disastrous 24-58 season that spelled the end of the popular Kevin McHale's tenure as vice president of basketball operations in Minneapolis.
Kahn took over for the local legend and now has to convince his skeptical public to wait two more years for his first-ever draft pick.
"On the night of the draft, I explained that the decision to draft Ricky was not difficult - that he was 18, the youngest player in the draft, and we were a building team that could wait for him," Kahn said. "Nothing has changed. When we received signals from Ricky this summer that he was considering accelerating his path to the NBA and joining us sooner, we threw ourselves into this process willingly and energetically, including meeting with Joventut on four separate occasions.
"I explained to Ricky this morning that, starting today, I would now focus all my attention on the coming season for the Timberwolves and our current roster. We have begun the process to build a championship-contending team and this coming season will be an exciting one. I wished Ricky well and told him that, while I could not predict the future, I expected to see him in Minnesota soon."
Not soon enough...
Like many 18-year-olds, Rubio is struggling to find his place. The teenager clearly has no idea what he wants for himself and his desires likely change on a daily basis
Anyone predicting where Rubio will end up two years from now is just throwing a fastball at the dartboard, but I have a sneaking suspicion he will never call the Twin Cities home.
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