Ricky Rubio News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

Timberwolves 86, Kings 84: Nikola Pekovic scores, Ricky Rubio assists in Minnesota's victory

February 8

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Center Nikola Pekovic had 23 points and 10 rebounds, and point guard Ricky Rubio contributed six points and a season-high 14 assists to lead Minnesota past Sacramento on Tuesday night at Target Center. Marcus Thornton led Sacramento with 22 points. MEANING: The Wolves proved they could win without Kevin Love, who missed the first game in his two-game suspension for stepping on the face and upper body of Houston forward Luis Scola on Saturday night. The Wolves had a solid team effort, particularly on the boards, where they figured they would miss Love the most. The Wolves outrebounded Sacramento 49-48."

Rubio saves his very best for last: The fourth quarter

February 6

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"It seems that just about every time the Timberwolves play point guard Ricky Rubio does something worth noting. Rubio entered Saturday's game against Houston having amassed 28 assists and just two turnovers in the second half of his past five games. Against Houston, Rubio scored eight of his 13 points and got five of his 11 assists in the second half. He did commit two turnovers. Still, in his past six second halves Rubio has 33 assists and four turnovers. Clearly, he already is a clutch performer. Late in Friday's victory at New Jersey, Rubio made play after play and then grabbed a deflected ball -- this after he'd been screened out of a play the Nets ran to get a final shot that could"

Rubio to Bryant: Spain will take gold in Olympics

January 31

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Sunday's Timberwolves-Lakers game was long over when there was a neat moment captured on video. Wolves guard Ricky Rubio was in the hallway at Target Center talking to Lakers forward Pau Gasol, his fellow Spaniard and good friend. Kobe Bryant came out of the Lakers dressing room. "You talking about London?" Bryant asked, referring to the Olympics later this year. "Oh, yeah," Gasol replied. Rubio asked Bryant if he would be there with Team USA. Bryant said yes, so then the Wolves rookie made a prediction: "You know you're getting the silver medal," Rubio said. "You know that." Meaning, of course, that Spain would win the gold. A brash statement? Perhaps. But not outlandish: Spain won the"

Seeing is believing: Rubio can truly play

January 30

Minneapolis Star Tribune

columnist Sid Hartman

"This column is written as an apology to Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn for what I thought, wrote and said on the radio that it was a terrible decision to draft Ricky Rubio. And to Rubio, too, for being wrong about his ability to play in the NBA. And there's more reason to apologize after Sunday night to Mr. Rubio, after the man from Spain sparked the Wolves to a 19-6 run that almost overtook the Lakers in a 106-101 loss. As I followed Rubio's career in Spain from afar and listened to some of my friends who I regarded as knowing something about basketball, I had reasons for my theory. Check Rubio's statistics with Barcelona last year. The Wolves' 2009 first-round"

Rubio all in as Wolves roll

January 26

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"On the same night Kevin Love signed his new $61 million contract in the locker room in Dallas, Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio seemed to suggest with that twinkle in his eyes and a mischievous grin that just maybe his coach should refund an evening's wages after Wednesday's unlikely 105-90 victory over the Mavericks at American Airlines Center. "At the beginning of the game we were saying, 'Who is going to start?' and they said the guard starters are easy," Rubio said. "We only have two." So what kind of coaching is that from a future Hall of Famer who now has won 953 career games? With Luke Ridnour out healing a sore knee and J.J. Barea and his hamstring in a suit accepting his NBA"

Prestige varies for rookies Rubio, Fredette

January 23

San Francisco Chronicle

columnist Bruce Jenkins

"As we eavesdrop on a mythical party for NBA rookies, we see Ricky Rubio in a far corner of the room. Quiet guy, doesn't say much. But there sure is a big crowd around him. Some of those admiring women are getting downright pushy. Outside the building, wearing a spiffy new overcoat, Jimmer Fredette is parking Maseratis. He's really a heck of a guy, Jimmer. Aims to please. But he's stuck between roles in the wilds of Sacramento, a city deeply concerned about losing the franchise. Someday, probably in a different uniform, he'll be a solid shooting guard in a responsible half-court offense - perhaps along the lines of Orlando's J.J. Redick. At the moment, he's dealing with me-first teammates,"

Rubio, Love in top 5 in All-Star Game balloting

January 20

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Minnesota Timberwolves rookie point guard Ricky Rubio is third among Western Conference guards in fan voting for the 2012 NBA All-Star Game and teammate Kevin Love is fifth among Western Conference forwards, according to the second ballot returns released today by the NBA. Fans worldwide are permitted to vote at www.nba.com for the starting lineups for the Eastern and Western Conference All-Star teams. Reserves will be chosen by the East and West coaches. The All-Star Game is scheduled for Feb. 26 at Amway Center in Orlando, Fla. Rubio, averaging 10.7 points and 8.3 assists, has received 248,423 votes. He trails rival guards Kobe Bryant (1,110,379 votes) of the Los Angeles Lakers and Chris"

Timberwolves' Love, Rubio, Williams rate high in survey by NBA GMs

January 18

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love is rated the NBA's best offensive rebounder and teammate Ricky Rubio is rated the NBA's third-best passer, according to a survey of the league's 30 general managers released today by NBA.com. The results for Love and Rubio were among several highlights for the Timberwolves in the survey conducted by NBA.com, including Rubio voted as the NBA's top international player to have a breakout season in 2011-12. Rubio, averaging 10.8 points and 8.3 assists (eighth in the league), was voted the third-best passer with 11.1 percent of the votes behind Chris Paul (40.7 percent) of the Los Angeles Clippers and Steve Nash (37.0 percent) of the Phoenix Suns."

Ricky Rubio starting to rub off on other Timberwolves, who are better passers, shooters, ballhandlers when he's in game

January 18

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"He's rubbing off Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman was hesitant to put Ricky Rubio in the starting lineup the first 2-1/2 weeks of the season. He wanted to ease the Spanish rookie into the lineup and allow him to make a gradual adjustment to the NBA. Now that Rubio has made three starts, almost resulting in a 3-0 run for the Wolves, Adelman has seen the benefits of accelerating Rubio's development as the team's primary floor leader. The Wolves' shooting percentage has climbed after each start - and turnovers have gone down in each game. One other key factor has been noticeable by Adelman and his players. "Before Ricky was starting, the ball wasn't moving as well," Wolves forward Kevin Love"

Luke Ridnour-Ricky Rubio tandem leads Timberwolves past Kings

January 17

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Rick Adelman's concoction of two point guards on the floor at the same time doesn't seem to be that wacky after all - especially when Luke Ridnour and Ricky Rubio are able to get the job done on defense. The Timberwolves' coach has always based his preference for a point-guard tandem on whether a smaller duo can stop opposing playmakers. Adelman and a Target Center crowd of 16,159 saw further vindication in Monday night's 99-86 win over Sacramento that the Ridnour-Rubio connection is working. Even more revealing is that the duo is capable of dominating a game."

Love aims to reign over Rubio in Spain

January 17

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"That budding relationship between Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love continues to bloom: The two already have a July dinner date scheduled in romantic Barcelona. Love on Monday was named one of 20 finalists for a U.S. Olympic team that will play in London next summer. Only 12 ultimately will be chosen. If Love makes the cut, he will play a friendly game against Spain in Barcelona just before the Olympics. "He's buying, that's home court for him," Love said. "I told him how, if he takes it to the hole, I'm going to knock him on his butt. Hopefully, I'll be on the team.""

Rubio is a rambler and a gambler -- and a defender

January 16

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The NBA's international man of mystery just a month ago, Timberwolves rookie Ricky Rubio's court vision and basketball sense no longer are secrets. Neither, perhaps surprisingly, is his defense. Rubio's reputation for fancy playmaking far preceded his arrival on these shores, but nobody knew how those active hands, gambler's sensibilities and suspect foot speed on display professionally in Europe all these years would translate at this level on the court's opposite end."

Fans upset about missing Rubio's first starts on TV

January 15

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Timberwolves fans hooted and hollered when Ricky Rubio made his first two NBA starts this weekend, just maybe not in the way you would have thought. More than a few voiced their displeasure through social media and other methods, upset that neither Friday's game at New Orleans nor Saturday's game at Atlanta could be seen on local television. The Wolves are set to televise 50 of their 66 games on FSN this season, which, for now, leaves 16 games dark when new fans are clamoring to see Rubio and Kevin Love. Two of those came just when Rubio was inserted into the starting lineup. "We certainly have heard from fans, too," said Wolves senior vice president of marketing and communications Ted"

Rubio starts, Wolves finish

January 14

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Apparently wise well beyond his 21 years, Timberwolves rookie Ricky Rubio did more than finally start his first NBA game and play every second after intermission in an 87-80 victory at New Orleans dominated by teammate Kevin Love's second-half feats. He also introduced cosmic principles into the team's muscle-bound locker room afterward. Both Rubio and Love played the entire second half, one in which Love scored 28 of his game-high 34 points and wore out a Hornets team missing star guard Eric Gordon with a relentlessness that sent Love to the free-throw line for 18 shots total and 14 in the second half alone. From 12 points ahead to start the fourth quarter to a 78-78 tie with two minutes"

Ricky Rubio believes team has playoff potential

January 13

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"The Timberwolves could use a dose of optimism after a 3-7 start, and Ricky Rubio provided some Thursday by claiming the team has playoff potential "if we show up for 48 minutes in every single game." "Sometimes it looks like we can be a playoff team, sometimes it doesn't," the Wolves' rookie point guard said following practice. "We have to realize where we are doing good and where we are doing bad and try to avoid those moments. We could be 5-5 or 6-4 if we play from the beginning of the game at 100 percent." The Wolves, who play at New Orleans tonight, can use Memphis' 2010-11 season as a barometer for making the Western Conference playoffs. The Grizzlies earned the final spot in the"

How rare is Rubio? Unselfish, smart and as good as the hype

January 11

Minneapolis Star Tribune

columnist Jim Souhan

"Ricky Rubio is an aberration not because of his exotic hair or nationality, nor his endearing accent or teen-idol charm. Rubio is an aberration for reasons as fundamental and useful as a bounce pass. He's the rare subject of hype who turns out to be better than advertised. He's the rare NBA player who prides himself on unselfishness. He is the rare athlete who succeeds because of savvy and intelligence rather than athletic ability. Whether this should be considered a compliment to him or an insult to his team, it is true: 10 games into his NBA career, Rubio is the second-best player on the roster. Tuesday, Rubio faced his toughest NBA challenge, in MVP point guard Derrick Rose and"

Rubio's magnetism, court genius turning skeptics into believers

January 10

CBSSports.com

columnist Ken Berger

"A few thousands folks were spending part of their Sunday afternoon in the nation's capital watching an abysmal display of basketball, and they would've gone home bitterly disappointed if not for a certain 21-year-old with a stubby beard and a messy Beatles haircut. Everything changes when Ricky Rubio jogs to the scorer's table and checks in. The game changes, and so does the mood of whoever happens to be watching. So, too, perhaps, does the fate of a franchise. Rubio finally has come to the NBA, and in case you haven't noticed, he's already made the NBA a better place. Nine games into a stateside journey that began in earnest when he turned pro in Europe at 14, Rubio already is exerting"

Ricky Rubio returns to haunt Wizards

January 9

Washington Post

"While Mike Miller is somewhere injured and on the inactive list with the Miami Heat, and Randy Foye is backing up Chris Paul with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Wizards have nothing to show for the fifth overall pick they dealt to Minnesota before the 2009 NBA draft. But they got a reminder of what they possibly missed out on when Timberwolves rookie Ricky Rubio – the player Minnesota selected with that draft choice – made his first appearance at Verizon Center."

Irving, Rubio draw comparison, raves

January 7

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Friday's Timberwolves-Cleveland game brought together the top two players selected in the 2011 draft: Duke point guard Kyrie Irving and Arizona forward Derrick Williams. But that wasn't the night's most intriguing rookie comparison. Instead, it came at point guard, when Irving started for the Cavaliers as he has all season and Ricky Rubio came off the bench for the Wolves. Before Cleveland's 98-87 victory, Wolves coach Rick Adelman disputed the notion that he has brought Rubio along more slowly than the Cavs have Irving just because Irving is starting and Rubio is not. Rubio has played every minute in the fourth quarter in the Wolves' first seven games. "I don't know if I've brought him"

So far, Rubio's shots are on target

January 4

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Ricky Rubio is going to keep shooting. And most folks associated with the Timberwolves feel he's going to be just fine in that department. But Rubio, whose every move has been performed under the microscope, was again asked about his shooting after Tuesday's victory over San Antonio. Rubio played nearly 24 minutes and scored six points with three assists. But he was being asked about the two three-point shots he missed. "Today I had zero for two on my threes, but when you take away your confidence sometimes it's hard to score the shots," he said. "I worked hard this summer with the lockout. I gained my confidence back, and when I have the confidence the shots are going to go in for me.""

Rubio's skills, floor leadership impress Ginobili

January 3

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Manu Ginobili sees similarities between himself and Ricky Rubio -- to a point. Both came to the NBA as seasoned veterans. Ginobili played in international events for Argentina and had been a star in Europe, just like Rubio. Both had played against good players and had played in big games by the time they became NBA rookies. Of course, there are differences, too. "Rubio had much more fanfare," Ginobili said. He and his San Antonio Spurs teammates had just finished their morning shootaround Monday. Ginobili, the Spurs guard, is right. He was a second-round pick by the Spurs while Rubio was a lottery pick. Ginobili, relatively speaking, was operating under the radar when he arrived for his"

Rubio's fourth-quarter poise gets noticed

January 3

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"People keep talking about whether Ricky Rubio should be starting games for the Timberwolves. But there isn't much disagreement as to how he is finishing them. Rubio's strong fourth quarters already are becoming a hot topic. After Sunday's victory over Dallas, Mavericks guard Jason Kidd talked about how simple the Wolves offense was down the stretch. "They ran one play the whole time and he executed it," Kidd said of the pick-and-roll attack. So is that a bad thing? Not to San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. After Monday's morning shootaround Popovich talked at some length about his impressions of Rubio and the retooled Wolves lineup. "There are a lot of changes, not just Ricky Rubio,""

Adelman not ready to start Rubio quite yet

January 2

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"OK, it's only four games into this shortened NBA season, but inquiring minds still want to know: When's Ricky Rubio going to start games rather than just finish them? "I think that's something that's still down the line," Wolves coach Rick Adelman said before Sunday's game against defending NBA champion Dallas at Target Center. Rubio's NBA career barely has begun, but the season's opening week already has suggested the Wolves have a different kind of pulse when the ball is in his hands. On Sunday, he delivered a 14-point, seven-assist, four-rebound performance that included five consecutive points scored after the Mavs chopped a 15-point lead to just one. "We're still evaluating the team,"

Ricky Rubio comes up big as Timberwolves end 18-game skid by beating Mavericks

January 2

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Ricky Rubio's impact on the Timberwolves is already reaching highlight levels. A few numbers bring clarity to the Wolves' 99-82 victory over the defending NBA champion Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night at Target Center, the Wolves' first regular-season win since last March: When Wolves coach Rick Adelman sent Rubio into the game with 2:27 left in the third quarter, the Wolves were clinging to a one-point lead. The Wolves (1-3) outscored the Mavericks 32-13 the rest of the night. Rubio played all of the fourth quarter and delivered seven points and five assists, including a sizzling bounce pass between the legs of Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki to forward Anthony Tolliver in the corner."

Rubio, Wolves push Heat to the end

December 31

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Those fans who arrived to Target Center on Friday night wearing solemn black No. 6 LeBron James jerseys or fiesta-colored sombreros each got what they wanted in Miami's tense 103-101 victory over the Timberwolves. Those who came to see the Heat's big-top circus saw exactly what Wolves coach Rick Adelman predicted they would -- a slam-dunk exhibition -- if his team continued to throw the ball over the place, as they did again Friday to the tune of 25 turnovers. They saw James score on fast-break alley-oop dunks and windmill slams -- "Like a wide receiver," Wolves forward Kevin Love said -- before he finished the game by finding teammate Dwayne Wade with a lob pass off a set play for the"

Rubio gets a lesson from Jennings

December 29

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Two weeks ago, Milwaukee point guard Brandon Jennings recanted what he said about Ricky Rubio before the 2009 draft, attributing his "all hype" comments back then to youthful indiscretion. On Tuesday night, he said little publicly, but his actions spoke for his mouth when he delivered a commanding 24-point, 7-assist performance in the Bucks' 98-95 home victory over the Timberwolves. Rubio's flashy bounce passes filled ESPN's SportsCenter highlights after he made his NBA debut in Monday's season-opening loss to Oklahoma City at Target Center. One night later, Jennings -- now in his third NBA season though he was drafted five slots later than Rubio in 2009 -- schooled the newcomer on the"

Agent poised to market Timberwolves rookie Ricky Rubio

December 28

St. Paul Pioneer Press

columnist Charley Walters

"When Ricky Rubio fired a no-look pass to Derrick Williams for a reverse dunk Monday night, the sellout crowd at Target Center rose and cheered in delight. Particularly Jarinn Akana. Akana is one of Rubio's Los Angeles-based agents. Dapper in black suit and tie, Akana was feeling good about Rubio's performance. He knows his client's six-assist NBA debut with the Timberwolves will only help the marketing of the point guard. "The buzz (about Rubio) is definitely picking up," Akana understated after the game, a 104-100 loss to Oklahoma City. "Eventually, deals that we were looking at probably will start coming in." Already, Rubio's impact is clear. "His jersey was the hottest seller we had"

Rubio, Barea return to Timberwolves practice

December 23

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Minor injuries left the Timberwolves with only 10 healthy players for practice Thursday, but two of those players were point guards Ricky Rubio and J.J. Barea. Rubio (ankle) and Barea (bruised thigh) missed two days of practice and Wednesday night's preseason victory at Milwaukee. Coach Rick Adelman said both players participated in all phases of Thursday's practice. "I was still a little sore, but it wasn't enough for me to sit out again," Rubio said of his sprained right ankle. Mild ankle sprains kept Kevin Love and Wesley Johnson out of Thursday's practice. Nikola Pekovic was sidelined with a groin strain."

Rubio, Barea out for Wolves preseason finale

December 21

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The Timberwolves flew to Milwaukee Tuesday evening for Wednesday's preseason finale against the Bucks without their backcourt tandem of Ricky Rubio and J.J. Barea. Neither player practiced on Monday or Tuesday. Neither will play against the Bucks. Rubio turned his ankle during the second quarter of Saturday's preseason opener against Milwaukee and went to the locker room briefly to have his ankles re-taped but returned to play in the second half. Barea also got hit in the thigh that night. Wolves coach Rick Adelman said neither injury is serious. "I just think they want to be precautionary right now," he said of the team's training staff."

Ankle injury keeps Timberwolves' Rubio out of practice

December 20

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Minnesota Timberwolves rookie point guard Ricky Rubio was limited in today's practice after spraining his right ankle in Saturday's NBA preseason game against the Milwaukee Bucks. He did not participate in today's scrimmage. Rubio said he will continue to undergo treatment. The Timberwolves play their second and final preseason game Wednesday night at Milwaukee."

'Nervous' Rubio unveils his victory toss

December 19

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The Wolves haven't had much need as of late to ponder and polish their game-ending celebrations, so Ricky Rubio brought one with him all the way from Spain. Rubio delighted a curious Target Center audience with his no-look passes and floppy hair during his first NBA game of any sort Saturday night. Then he perhaps gave them a glimpse of the future when he heaved the basketball high into the air when the final seconds of a 117-96 victory over Milwaukee ticked away, even if it was just preseason. "I always try to do when we win," he said. "It's like a ritual.""

Timberwolves rookie Ricky Rubio passes his first test, and how

December 18

St. Paul Pioneer Press

columnist Tom Powers

"The kid is ready. Start him on opening night and just leave him out there for as long as his legs hold out. Long-suffering Timberwolves fans deserve to have some fun. On Saturday night, Ricky Rubio finally made his basketball debut in Minnesota. The girls squealed. The guys high-fived. And the coaches and players got an eyeful. Rubio may not be the most polished rookie in the NBA, but he probably is the most entertaining. After years of basketball misery at Target Center, it was as if he descended on a cloud. There was a lob pass - off the dribble, no less - to a soaring Derrick Williams. There was a steal and a rip-roaring fast break. There were no-look passes, passes off the drive,"

Rubio eager to see his first NBA action

December 17

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"More than 15,000 Timberwolves fans presumably are as eager to see their team's preseason opener as rookie Ricky Rubio is to play it on Saturday night at Target Center. At least the Wolves have distributed that many tickets -- season-ticket holders each were given an extra pair free -- for a game against Milwaukee in which Rubio, No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams and new coach Rick Adelman will make their debut. "I've been waiting to play with T-wolves long time ago," Rubio said. "Yes, of course, playing here with T-wolves fans is going to be amazing. I hope everybody comes to the game, even if it's a preseason game. I've been thinking about coming here to NBA long time ago because it's"

Ricky Rubio, Brandon Jennings ready for formal meeting

December 17

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"It's an enticing matchup two years in the making. When Ricky Rubio was selected fifth overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2009 draft and Brandon Jennings went 10th to the Milwaukee Bucks, basketball fans were eager to see the young point guards face off. But Rubio decided to stay in Spain and play two seasons with Regal FC Barcelona while Jennings became an instant starter with the Bucks. The young Buck helped his team reach the playoffs during his rookie year and led Milwaukee in scoring last season. Now Rubio, a 21-year-old Spaniard, is taking his first plunge into the NBA waters and will meet the 22-year-old Jennings on the court three times in the next few weeks. The Bucks and"

Rubio, Barea work together at Timberwolves scrimmage

December 16

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman didn't wait long to get a peek at his two new guards. Adelman played rookie Ricky Rubio and newcomer J.J. Barea together for most of Thursday's scrimmage at Bresnan Arena on the Minnesota State Mankato campus. Barea's performance in his first practice with the Wolves could tempt Adelman to use the duo more. "He looked good," Adelman said of Barea. "He's going to help us. He picked up our stuff real easy." When asked about Barea, Wolves forward Michael Beasley said, "I don't think he missed a shot." Barea was signed as a free agent Wednesday after playing five years with Dallas. Though only 5 feet 11, Barea played mostly shooting guard when paired with Rubio."

'Moptop' Rubio has look of legitimate point guard

December 14

Minneapolis Star Tribune

columnist Jim Souhan

"If ever a Wolves draft pick was destined to disappoint, it was Ricky Rubio, the mystery wrapped in an enigma topped by a bird's nest. While fans obsess over his reputed passing skills or Barcelona Invasion haircut, empirical evidence described a young, skinny, European backup point guard with an erratic shot who spent two years avoiding Minnesota winters. I would have argued that if you wanted to get excited about the new Wolves, you'd be better served focusing on Rick Adelman's savvy, Derrick Williams' potential, Kevin Love's dedication or J.J. Barea's arrival than the debut of LMFB. Then I watched The Loveable Moptop From Barcelona running his squad during scrimmages on Monday and"

'Not like robots': Rubio enjoys it so far

December 12

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Ricky Rubio has had three full days to acclimate himself to NBA practices and Rick Adelman's coaching strategies. The very early verdict? "I love it," the Timberwolves rookie point guard said after Sunday's three-plus-hour practice. "We can call a system, but in that system you have freedom to see which is the best option for us, not like robots. Or not like, 'Only these two guys are going to play and the other three aren't going to be in the play.' "This way, all five players can score, all five can be in the play. I love the way that we are playing right now." Adelman, in turn, has praised Rubio's court vision and passing after all three days of practice."

Rubio dazzles new teammates, who eat up his fancy dishes

December 9

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Just one single day spent playing with newly arrived Ricky Rubio and already his new Wolves teammates have caught something other than what instant believer Anthony Tolliver admiringly calls his "crazy" passes. More than one of those teammates described Rubio as a contagion, and that's a good thing on a team that often struggled to move the ball last season. "First time I've ever seen him play period, on film, anything," Tolliver said. "He's actually better than I expected." To be sure, Thursday's action at Target Center was only a pickup game among teammates who haven't played a real game since springtime. But it did bring Rubio, Kevin Love, Anthony Randolph, Michael Beasley, Derrick"

Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio gets Minnesota hints from Garnett

December 8

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Kevin Garnett was the last Timberwolves player to generate heightened curiosity among Minnesota sports fans before appearing in his first NBA game. Ricky Rubio appears to be generating a similar buzz, and to make sure he takes the proper steps in preparation for his NBA rookie season, the Spanish point guard welcomed some advice from Garnett while they were working out in Los Angeles during the NBA lockout. "He told me the people here will support you if you're doing the right things and work hard," Rubio said of his chats with Garnett after arriving at Target Center on Wednesday for his first individual workouts. "He said the people are really nice and that I will feel comfortable.""

Yes, Ricky Rubio is here

December 8

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Befitting a place he calls "MinneSNOWta" on Twitter and an NBA season delayed, new Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio bypassed the skyway on his first day to work Wednesday and chose to walk outside to Target Center because he wanted to feel the winter weather -- and found himself symbolically locked out. "I was knocking the door and nobody was opening," he said, "and I was like, 'C'mon, man ... ' " He eventually entered, and it was a strange sight indeed to see him walk down an arena hallway toward the Wolves locker room and shoot in the team's practice facility downstairs a little later. Yes, he really is here."

Rubio, Love, Adelman appear eager to get NBA season going

November 27

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"How eager were the Timberwolves to get the season going? A little birdie says point guard Ricky Rubio was in Minneapolis the other day looking at homes. All-star forward Kevin Love stopped in Minneapolis the other day to check on things. New coach Rick Adelman was in Minneapolis to meet with assistants and other staff members. The NBA lockout has been lifted. The way it looks now, if the 66-game season begins on Christmas Day as projected, the Wolves' starting lineup should be the same as the five who finished last season with 17 victories. That would be Love, Michael Beasley, Wes Johnson, Darko Milicic and Luke Ridnour. But the Wolves will have two new first-round draft picks coming off"

Exhibition gives Rubio an outlet to show off his skills

November 22

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"This could not be how Ricky Rubio envisioned his first NBA experience, in the cold, dank barn of San Francisco's Cow Palace, a building that had its heyday when Pink Floyd and KISS were turning out hit albums. The venue is so dim that Rubio's mother, Tona, needed a spotlight as she stood courtside Sunday and videotaped her son's new life in America. But because the NBA lockout will not end and allow Rubio to discover just where his much-scrutinized game stands alongside bona fide NBA talent in legitimate competition, his debut came not in a Timberwolves uniform but in Drew Gooden's charity game. The young Spaniard was a participant because he is represented by the same firm as Gooden --"

Free at last, Ricky Rubio ready to start NBA career

November 20

Yahoo! Sports

"Sometimes, Ricky Rubio(notes) presses play on those old game DVDs, and his eyes long for the nerve of that 15-year-old flashing across the screen. He watches himself closely – the spontaneity, the boldness, the sheer jubilance of playing basketball. He wants it all again, wants it for good now. The promise of Rubio's mid-teens became something of a burden this past year and a half, the pressures of delivering on the extraordinary expectations of his talent had installed a natural hesitation, a paralysis that can come with criticism. For all the hours that he spends studying the greatest point guards of all – Magic Johnson and Jason Kidd(notes) and Steve Nash(notes) – the Spanish wunderkind"

Ricky Rubio is stateside, working out with NBA players and other stuff

October 19

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"A little of this and that while we wait for news of what happens to NBA labor negotiations now that there's a big boy -- federal mediator George Cohen -- in the room. * Ricky Rubio has arrived. Well, sort of. He left Spain for Los Angeles last week and is there seeing the sights -- Malibu and Santa Monica last weekend -- while working out daily with NBA players. Yesterday, he played pickup ball on a team with Pacers star Danny Granger, Chicago's Joakim Noah, Utah rookie Enes Kanter and Cavs forward Omri Casspi. Michael Beasley made a call on Twitter the other day, asking Rubio to play in his All-Star Classic game on Friday at Osseo High. No indication that's gonna happen, though."

Rubio's scoring struggles continue

September 12

ESPN.com

"Three assists, four steals and five rebounds off the bench against Germany on Wednesday. Not bad. Zero points? Not so great. Ricky Rubio acknowledged that the only statistic that truly counted was to be found in Spain's win column at EuroBasket. But the soon-to-be Minnesota Timberwolves point guard has failed to find any solution for his shooting woes since arriving in Lithuania. Lately, his lack of scoring has become an expectation rather than an aberration."

Rubio talks coming to NBA, says he needs to hit weights

July 27

Pro Basketball Talk

"For a while after he signed, Ricky Rubio was working out with his new Minnesota teammates, getting some run with Kevin Love and friends. Now, he is back in Spain preparing for EuroBasket, where the silver medal team from the 2008 Olympics will try to qualify for London 2012. While at training camp he spoke with FIBA's site about the upcoming transition. "I approach it with more hope than fear, and with great respect for things," he said. "I have a huge desire to live this experience, both on the court and off it. I have never moved house before. I have never had that change. I want to have that change of culture, though I don't want to lose the connection to family that I have.""

Love and rebuilt Wolves welcome Rubio while bracing for lockout

June 26

Minneapolis Star Tribune

"The reconstituted Timberwolves unofficially, incompletely convened at Target Center on Saturday, gathering for the first time on the court with newly added Ricky Rubio, Derrick Williams and Malcolm Lee running alongside Kevin Love, Wes Johnson, Anthony Randolph and Martell Webster in a pickup-game preview. By Friday, those gym doors very well could be padlocked to them in a NBA labor lockout for which Love has been preparing, hoping all along that it won't really come. That's why, three pro seasons into his rookie contract, he still hasn't gone and bought himself a house in Los Angeles, his offseason home. That's why he's joined the thoughtful crowd in anticipating what could be a lengthy"

Trust played a role in signing of Rubio

June 23

Minneapolis Star Tribune

columnist Sid Hartman

"It took more than two years to convince Ricky Rubio to become a member of the Timberwolves after the Spanish star was selected fifth overall in the 2009 NBA draft. Wolves boss David Kahn explained how he finally got the job done. "I think we, over the course of two years, developed a trusting relationship with him and his family," said Kahn, who officially announced the Rubio signing Tuesday. "I think we demonstrated through that two-year period that we really believed in him, believed that he could be a very significant player in our league, and that they could trust us. I think, at the end of the day, that went a long way." Rubio averaged 4.8 points, 4.1 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.6"

For Timberwolves' Ricky Rubio, 'a dream come true for me to be here'

June 22

St. Paul Pioneer Press

"On the day the Minnesota Timberwolves formally introduced Ricky Rubio as the newest member of the team, club president of basketball operations David Kahn had to reassure the Spanish point guard that he is not trading him. "Ricky Rubio will not be traded by the Minnesota Timberwolves," Kahn said during today's press conference for Rubio on the Target Center floor. "You can go to sleep on that." Kahn also denied the Timberwolves were considering a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers that would bring the Timberwolves seven-foot center Pau Gasol, a Spanish native and friend of Rubio's, in exchange for All-Star forward Kevin Love and the team's No. 2 pick in Thursday night's NBA draft. Other than"