Ricky Rubio
Strengths: This floppy-haired kids keeps getting better and better. Despite possible physical/athletic limitations, Rubio will have no trouble adjusting to the speed of NBA action because of his basketball IQ. He displays an uncanny court sense, playing three steps ahead of everyone else on the floor. He has the same sense of timing that Larry Bird had. He seems to know what’s going to happen when the ball does. However, his style of play is extremely relaxed and confident because the game comes so easily to him.
NBA Comparison: Pete Maravich
Rubio lulls the defense to sleep and then suddenly uses his speed when they defense isn’t ready, using his gear-shift very quickly. When slashing or breaking down his defender his footwork is excellent and seems so natural, and he really understands body angles making him quite “slippery.” He has years of experience getting by multiple defenders, and seems to have moves ready for when a second or third defender comes his way. He is an excellent ball handler who has perfected the behind the back dribble, which is currently his most reliable weapon when facing quicker and more athletic defenders. He can use this move when bringing the ball up the court or when getting into the lane. He is very creative and regularly makes magical plays nobody has ever seen before. His decision-making ability is on an elite level right now. He has superior court vision, and regularly whips passes one-handed cross court that are sharp and accurate. He has the ability to fake-out entire defenses to make the kinds of passes for easy baskets that only the elite players make.
Ricky likes to use his body to post up his defender on the block, and is very efficient with his moves going to the basket from this position. He also works hard to help his team on the glass because it enables him to make long passes over the top of the defense on fast breaks or to take rebounds coast-to-coast himself.
Defensively, he can be intimidating because he uses his great length, big hands, sense of timing and quick reflexes to disrupt passes and take away dribbling mistakes. He is around every loose ball, and seems to have a sense of knowing when to make big plays defensively to change the complexion of the game.
Weaknesses: Rubio will have trouble guarding point guards in the NBA. His lateral quickness is decent but not great. Against top competition, he does have some mental lapses at times. He often backs off his defender and uses his instincts to play position defense, but in the rare moments when he guesses wrong, he can get beat on simple plays like a back-door cut, or his defender will easily dribble right by him. Some of his height and vision advantage is lost when longer players guard him. He doesn’t jump at all on his jump shot and could stand to change his shooting mechanics a little. This will be a problem when playing against elite athletes.
He is a big star at a young age, and already shows signs of having a big ego. He often creates contact and then expects Lebron James-type calls from the referees, and can get frustrated when he doesn’t receive them. He has his own warm-up routine, and is often seen off on his own and not with the team, (although there are no reports of him not being a team player). The type of fame and success that he’s had at such a young means it will be that much more important for him to continue to working on his game, improve his skills and not settle for just being as talented as he is now.
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