Draft Analysis: Ricky Rubio

Dazzling passes that few NBA players are capable of making, there will be a new pistol in the league this upcoming season, provided Minnesota can convince him to head north.

Monday, June 22nd 2009, 1:20 am

By: News 9

NEWS 9 Sports Staff

High socks. Floppy Hair. Dazzling passes that few NBA players are capable of making. While the old school fans might hear this and immediately think of Pete Maravich, there will be a new pistol in the league this upcoming season, provided Minnesota can convince him to head north.

Rubio is already a YouTube sensation and has an ocean's worth of hype to live up to. A pro at only 14 (he's now 18), Rubio's Olympic performance against the NBA's best had scouts drooling long before they knew where their team would pick in the lottery.

Rubio has a buyout with his DKV Joventut team at more than 6 million dollars.

He has already expressed that he will not play for certain teams and could threaten to head back to Spain if he does not like what he hears on draft day.

To top it off, Rubio hired Dan Fegan, the agent responsible for Chinese forward Yi Jianlian's complicated holdout upon entering the draft.

If Minnesota can work through the drama and convince Rubio to stay, they will have a star in the making. He will take some time to adjust from the European game to the NBA, but once he does, many say he has Steve Nash potential.