Ricky Rubio: Is Minnesota Timberwolves' Prodigal Point Guard Worth the Hype?

Ricky Rubio Preparing to Join Minnesota Timberwolves Two Years After Being Drafted, But is the Prodigal Point Guard Worth the Hype?

Ricky Rubio, the teenage phenom turned twenty-something phenom drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves two seasons ago, is finally coming to the NBA next season, according to a report from ESPN.com. 

Per Rubio's announcement: 

"It is my dream and I want to fulfill it," he said. "After thinking about it a lot, the time has arrived."

"I think all that I have won here gives me strength to go," Rubio said.

"It will mean a change of mentality," Rubio said. "Perhaps we won't be fighting for the title, but we will have other goals. I am willing to do whatever the team needs to win as many games as possible."

Rubio's arrival means the end of mocking T-Wolves general manager David Kahn for drafting the Spanish sensation, then promptly guaranteeing he wouldn't come to the NBA by grabbing waste of space Jonny Flynn with the very next pick. After all, Rubio is supposed to be the next great point guard, with his size, quickness, and scoring touch, right? 

Or, will the Barcelona star be a tremendous bust? 

Must Read: 2011 NBA Draft: Tracking the Latest NBA Draft News and Analysis. 

When he was drafted, there was little doubt in anyone's mind that Rubio was destined for stardom. He'd torched Team USA at the 2008 Olympics, and emerged as a star in Europe at an incredibly young age. 

But, after his dismal performance last season, when he averaged just 6.5 points and lost his starting spot with the Catalan club, doubts about his performance began to creep in. Was he a flash in the pan? Had the Timberwolves grabbing Flynn as the worst insurance policy in human history undermined the young Spaniard's confidence? 

Before we crown Rubio as the next Sebastian Telfair (if you don't know who he is, that should pretty much tell you all you need to know), there is plenty of hope for the young star coming into the NBA. The bigger floor will give the vaunted playmaker more room to shine, and while his shooting has proven lackluster at best, his assist totals and steals have remained high. He's got unparallelled court vision, and the speed to run a fast break incredibly well. 

In the end, though, Rubio likely won't prove worth all the hype, at least not at first. The potential is still there, and he will likely become a strong point guard, but one would expect some struggles shooting the ball as he adapts to the NBA. To put it another way, don't expect him to become Chris Paul with Justin Bieber hair the instant he steps on an NBA court, but don't expect him to be Sebastian Telfair, either. He won't be overmatched, but he does need to do some learning before he can reach his full potential.

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