Ricky Rubio

Ricard " Ricky" Rubio i Vives ( born October 21, 1990 in El Masnou, Catalonia ) is a Spanish professional basketball player. He plays the position of point guard and is considered one of the greatest European basketball talent in recent years.

Career

Rubio began his career with Joventut de Badalona, announced on 15 October 2005 his debut in the Spanish ACB and was 14 years, 11 months and 24 days, the youngest player to have managed this. This season he could with his club by a 88:63 final win against BK Khimki win the FIBA EuroCup. Nearly a year later, on 24 October 2006, he played for the first time in the ULEB Euro League. Even at this young age he became a performer for Joventut and was one of the best defenders in the league. In the 2007 /08 season Juventut succeeded under his leadership as Playmaker winning the title in the Spanish Cup and the ULEB Cup, where one could beat Akasvayu Girona with 79:54. In February 2008, he was voted the best U22 player in Europe in 2007, a tribute to him in 2008 and 2009 was bestowed.

On 25 June 2009 Ricky Rubio was drafted fifth in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves, due to its high release he remained but for the time being in Spain and moved for the record sum of 3.7 million euros to league rivals FC Barcelona. The Blaugrana he celebrated many successes. In his first season, winning the title succeeded in the Spanish Super Cup, the national cup and in the ULEB Euro League, where in the final against Olympiacos prevailed with to 86:68. Ricky Rubio himself received the Euro League Rising Star Trophy for the best player under 23 years old. In his second season in Barcelona, he could not connect to his achievements of the previous years though, with his team he won but in Spain the treble of the Supercup, Cup and Championship. On June 17, 2011 Ricky Rubio announced in a press conference that he, change in the North American professional league NBA, the Minnesota Timberwolves.

After the start of the season was delayed due to the NBA lockout until well into December, Rubio has established itself immediately in the league and was selected for the January 2012 to the Western Conference Rookie of the Month. However, on March 9 of this year, Rubio suffered a torn ACL in his left knee. He fell out of the rest of the NBA season and also for the Olympic Games in London.

His return after nine -month injury break, celebrated Ricky Rubio on December 15, 2012 in a game against the Dallas Mavericks. On March 12, he succeeded with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists in a home game against the San Antonio Spurs, the first triple -double of his career.

National

Even as a junior Rubio was successful with the national team of his country. In 2005, he took third place at the European Championship with the U-16. The following year he also won the U -16 European title and was voted MVP of the tournament. In 2007, Rubio for Spain at the Under-18 European Championship on home soil in part, reached there with the team to fifth place and was called to the "All Tournament Team".

In the Spanish national team Rubio was first appointed as part of the Olympic team in 2008, he announced on 18 July that year, his debut. At the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 he lost together with the Spanish national team the final against the United States with nearly 118:107 ( 69:61 ). He is the youngest medalist at an Olympic basketball tournament through his won silver medal. At the European Championships in Poland in 2009 he won the gold medal with Spain. In the 2010 World Cup, he was also part of the squad, but reached with his country only the sixth overall place. At the European Championships in Lithuania in 2011 he won the gold medal with Spain and was thus able to defend the title successfully conquered two years earlier.

Achievements

Association

ULEB Euro League ( 1): 2009/10
ULEB Cup ( 1): 2007/ 08
Spanish Championship (1): 2010/11
Spanish Cup ( 3): 2008, 2010, 2011
Spanish Supercup (2): 2009, 2010

National

Eurobasket 2011: Gold
Eurobasket 2009: Gold
Olympic Games 2008: Silver
U-16 European Championships 2006: Gold
U-16 European Championships 2005: Bronze

Honors

Participation in the NBA Rising Stars Challenge ( 2): 2012, 2013
NBA All- Rookie First Team: 2012
ULEB Euro League Rising Star Trophy: 2009/10
Europe basketball player of the year (Super Basket): 2008
All- ACB Team (2): 2007/ 08 and 2009/10
FIBA Europe Young Player Of The Year Award ( 3): 2007, 2008 and 2009
Discovery of the ACB league season: 2006/ 07
MVP of the U-16 European Championship 2006

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