[外電] Rubio won't play in NBA before 2011

[jerod (KG4MVP)]

http://www.nba.com/2010/news/06/04/wolves.rubio.ap/index.html?rss=true


BARCELONA, Spain (AP) -- Ricky Rubio is promising NBA fans they'll get to see
his razzle-dazzle, but not before the 2011-12 season -- and not necessarily
with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

In an interview with the Associated Press, the highly rated prospect said he
won't leave Spanish club Barcelona before his NBA opt-out clause comes up
after next season. The Timberwolves remain his team of choice, as long as
they make improvements following a season where they finished 15-67, the
second-worst record in the league.

If not, the Spaniard may want to make his NBA debut elsewhere.

"I'm open to everything," Rubio said courtside from Barcelona's Palau
Blaugrana stadium. "You never know when all of this finishes if it will be
with this team."

Although Rubio expects improvements from the team that took him with the
fifth choice in last year's draft, he was ready to stand by a club that has
called him the only "untouchable" player on its roster -- even if he's not
even on that yet.

"It's a young team that still needs to grow, that lacks experience now and
even though this year it hasn't achieved many victories the players are
evolving, and that's important," said the 6-foot-2 point guard, who described
himself as a player in the mold of Magic Johnson and Steve Nash.

"It's a team that has confidence in me and that's very important. They may
have only won 15 games, but they are in a moment of development and we have
to see how they evolve next year because it's very important to be part of a
team with vision. Let's see next year if things gel."

Rubio has had regular contact with Timberwolves president of basketball
operations David Kahn. Rubio, who averaged 6.6 points and 4.4 rebounds this
season, spoke warmly about his relationship with the 'Wolves and was in
particular awe of his meeting coach Kurt Rambis, who watched Rubio in action
here on May 27.

"They have the best possibility because they hold my rights, and they've
shown me how much they want me and for that I have to be thankful toward
them," said the Barcelona native, whose baby-face went unshaven ahead of
Friday's afternoon practice.

The Timberwolves have said all along that they have no problem waiting for
Rubio. Kahn actually sees it as an advantage to have the 19-year-old go
through some seasoning in Europe to better prepare him for the NBA.

"The notion of him sort of wasting away over there is really far-fetched,"
Kahn said in May. "It's just the opposite. He's actually getting better over
there on somebody else's dime and we're the ones that I hope will be able to
benefit from that."

Although a star in Europe, Rubio remains relatively unknown in North America.

Apart from Internet highlights, most NBA fans' only glimpse of Rubio would
have come at the 2008 Olympics when he helped Spain to silver behind the
United States.

"When I play [in the NBA] we'll see how I fit in -- I don't think we can
speculate about that now," Rubio said. "There are people who think I will do
well, there are people who think I'll never suit that type of game and there
are those without an opinion. I think I can fit in. But until my first game I
can't give any type of opinion."

While Rubio has paid particular attention to his outside shooting while
trying to improve his overall game, he's also spent more time in the gym,
bulking up as his smooth style of playing can make the transition to the NBA.

"A player who wants to make people happy with his play on the court, above
all," Rubio answered as when asked to describe his game. "A colorful,
attractive, spectacular basketball player."

Rubio nearly joined Minnesota last September before last-minute cold feet. He
believes it was the right decision not too rush over at such a young age, and
his subsequent move from DKV Joventut to Barcelona has seen him flourish as a
player, too.

"This year was very important for me on an experience level. I had the
pressure of having to win and that's only something you can learn playing at
a club like Barcelona, to know how to handle and play in those pressure
moments," said Rubio, who is on the cusp of closing his season with a Spanish
league title to go with Euroleague and domestic cup triumphs.

Rubio speaks some English but will enroll in classes from next season. He has
no hesitation in bombarding fellow Spanish players Pau Gasol and Rudy
Fernandez with questions over life in the NBA and the United States, which he
won't judge until he gives it a shot by living there. He already paid one
visit to Minneapolis last year.

"It was summer, with nice weather, a lot of lakes and it was nice but I was
only there 3 or 4 hours," he said. "I only visited the countryside, which was
nice. I know they like their sports in Minnesota."

Although Nash, New Orleans Hornets point guard Chris Paul and Lamar Odom of
the Lakers are the players he is looking forward to testing himself against,
Rubio is also hoping Shaquille O'Neal hangs around awhile longer so he can
drive down the lane at the Cleveland Cavaliers center, who is set to be a
free agent.

"I always watched him on TV. He's a very big player and a very fun player,"
Rubio said. "But it wouldn't be 1-on-1 because he'd probably kill me."

But O'Neal and NBA fans will have to wait as Rubio could even stay on at
Barcelona longer.

"We'll see after next year," Rubio said. "Now I have to take advantage of
this great [Barcelona] team."

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→ jerod:反正就是說這個球季不會加入灰狼就是，要等到明年暑假
→ jerod:他的跳出合約選項可以執行了，才會選擇來到NBA。
→ jerod:因為明年球季結束他的買斷費才會大幅減少，他不會想來NBA做
→ jerod:白工。
→ jerod:Kahn也沒有期望他這個暑假會來，計畫本就是明年暑假再來
→ jerod:Hoopchina的翻譯 好像有刪減段落 我就不PO翻譯了 看原文
→ jerod:http://bbs.hoopchina.com/1006/1337407.html
→ jerod:怕翻譯跟原文有出入 會誤導
→ b2209187:其實跟尼克換他可能就會今年來了...
→ jerod:別再相信這種沒有根據的說法了，他所必須負擔的買斷費是很
→ jerod:高的，真期望到了大城市Nike就願意多付600萬幫他買斷？
推 tiberian:巴塞隆納還幫Rubio買斷，簽約當時就說11年才有那機會。
→ tiberian:現在走可能比去年的代價還高喔...巴塞隆納不是傻子
→ john7420:Rubio的約是何時簽下的 Orz
→ jerod:去年 巴賽幫他買斷DKV的約 好像簽五年還四年 但是第二年結束
→ jerod:有特殊條款，可以低價買斷。
推 jinshenn:沒錯 就是最初的計畫 最快2011年來
推 jinshenn:簽六年 但是明年暑假 就是2011年有個1.4M的買斷條款
推 Kreen:＝ ＝｜｜｜