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So with NT'ers making outlandish claims and the draft approaching I decided to do some research on this Rubio kid, I got some Greek connects and picked upvarious game tapes and highlight videos as well as reading as much information about him as possible and I have come to this conclusion...this floppy hairedbirdo looking kid is da BIDNESS.
Offense
This kid has some other worldly basketball IQ and his feel for the game is already at an elite level. He is incredibly adept at every aspect of the game ofbasketball ball handling, passing, body control, shooting, the kid does it all.
His ball handling skills are superb his left is as good as his right and can make passes with either hand. While hisquickness only being average he gets to the rack at will because of his ball handling skills. With his frenetic pace and his constant movement, changingdirections and speeds hit is very difficult to keep him out of the lane. When he gets in there he might have trouble finishing against NBA big but once headjusts to the American game he is crafty enough to get his shot off against anyone.
As far as passing his visions is as good as anyone young player I have seen in recent memory, now Brandon Jenningscourt vision is just as good but the difference is that Jennings does things because he can not because it is theright play to make. Rubio decision making is top notch, he always makes the right play and is just as creative with the rock as Jennings. I watched him with adude on his back from the top of the three point line flip a a lob pass with one hand over his head for an alley oop dunk.
Crazy. In the pick and roll he is damn near unstoppable and runs as well asanyone he will turn the ball over but like Steve Nash you take the good passes far out way the bad.
As far as his shooting goes again he shows very good touch on his jumpshots and he projects to be a good jumpshooter onthe next level but mechanically this is the one place he has some problems. He gets almost no lift on his jumpshot and it's a little line drivish, it'snot a big deal but he might run into problems converting pull ups over bigger defenders. Bargnani has the same problem and it kind of broke down in his secondyear. If he ever gets a post game like Kidd developed in his later years he could be very tough to guard for smaller points.
Cliff Notes
Athletically he is average to slightly above but he more than makes up for it with decision making and basketball IQ.
+Basketball IQ
+Decision making
+Ball handling
+Body control
+Passing
-Average athlete
-will have trouble finishing
-turns the ball over a bit
Defense
Rickys anticipation and feel is off the charts plus he is a smart team defender and rotates very well. His lateral quickness is just average to slightly belowin the NBA. He has very long arms, and is fundamentally sound rarely getting out of his stance and like I said before because of his elite level anticipationhe gets a large amount of steals not just from playing the passing lane but 1 on 1 defense. I think he averaged like 4 steals per 48 minutes in the Euroleague,absurd. This is probably the biggest question mark on his resume: how will his defense project to the NBA? Personally I think his IQ is high enough to make upfor his athletic deficiencies but he will struggle against elite speed.
Cliff Notes
- While fundamentally a good defender with incredible anticipation he will struggle against elite speed in the NBA.
+Anticipation
+rotates well
- lacks lateral quickness
Final Thoughts
The only reason this kid is not the clear cut number one pick is athleticism which I would say isn't even that much of an issue and I wouldn't beshocked if he ends up having a better career than Blake it all depends on team he ends up on. This best case scenario would be the Knicks, or any other pickand roll heavy offense. He is to head and shoulders above everyone else in this draft class and if I get the second pick if I don't have an establishedpoint guard it would be difficult for me not to pick Rubio.
As far NBA comparisons? Best case: a less athletic Jason Kidd or a Steve Nash without the jumper plus some defense.
Offense
This kid has some other worldly basketball IQ and his feel for the game is already at an elite level. He is incredibly adept at every aspect of the game ofbasketball ball handling, passing, body control, shooting, the kid does it all.
His ball handling skills are superb his left is as good as his right and can make passes with either hand. While hisquickness only being average he gets to the rack at will because of his ball handling skills. With his frenetic pace and his constant movement, changingdirections and speeds hit is very difficult to keep him out of the lane. When he gets in there he might have trouble finishing against NBA big but once headjusts to the American game he is crafty enough to get his shot off against anyone.
As far as passing his visions is as good as anyone young player I have seen in recent memory, now Brandon Jenningscourt vision is just as good but the difference is that Jennings does things because he can not because it is theright play to make. Rubio decision making is top notch, he always makes the right play and is just as creative with the rock as Jennings. I watched him with adude on his back from the top of the three point line flip a a lob pass with one hand over his head for an alley oop dunk.
As far as his shooting goes again he shows very good touch on his jumpshots and he projects to be a good jumpshooter onthe next level but mechanically this is the one place he has some problems. He gets almost no lift on his jumpshot and it's a little line drivish, it'snot a big deal but he might run into problems converting pull ups over bigger defenders. Bargnani has the same problem and it kind of broke down in his secondyear. If he ever gets a post game like Kidd developed in his later years he could be very tough to guard for smaller points.
Cliff Notes
Athletically he is average to slightly above but he more than makes up for it with decision making and basketball IQ.
+Basketball IQ
+Decision making
+Ball handling
+Body control
+Passing
-Average athlete
-will have trouble finishing
-turns the ball over a bit
Defense
Rickys anticipation and feel is off the charts plus he is a smart team defender and rotates very well. His lateral quickness is just average to slightly belowin the NBA. He has very long arms, and is fundamentally sound rarely getting out of his stance and like I said before because of his elite level anticipationhe gets a large amount of steals not just from playing the passing lane but 1 on 1 defense. I think he averaged like 4 steals per 48 minutes in the Euroleague,absurd. This is probably the biggest question mark on his resume: how will his defense project to the NBA? Personally I think his IQ is high enough to make upfor his athletic deficiencies but he will struggle against elite speed.
Cliff Notes
- While fundamentally a good defender with incredible anticipation he will struggle against elite speed in the NBA.
+Anticipation
+rotates well
- lacks lateral quickness
Final Thoughts
The only reason this kid is not the clear cut number one pick is athleticism which I would say isn't even that much of an issue and I wouldn't beshocked if he ends up having a better career than Blake it all depends on team he ends up on. This best case scenario would be the Knicks, or any other pickand roll heavy offense. He is to head and shoulders above everyone else in this draft class and if I get the second pick if I don't have an establishedpoint guard it would be difficult for me not to pick Rubio.
As far NBA comparisons? Best case: a less athletic Jason Kidd or a Steve Nash without the jumper plus some defense.
