The Ricky Rubio Roundup: NBA Draft 2009

With the 2009 NBA draft commencing later tonight, the internet is buzzing with speculation and mock drafts.

Interbasket has done its best to gather the articles and quotes concerning the intenational man (er, teenager) of mystery, Ricky Rubio.

We’ll be continually updating the quotes throughout the day, so check back every hour or so…

• “Then I will play with my friend Marc Gasol. If Memphis takes me, Memphis takes me. But we will see what happens tomorrow.” said Rubio when asked about potentially being drafted by Memphis with the #2 pick. “It’s the NBA.  For me all the teams are OK.”

• If the Grizzlies don’t use the second pick in the NBA Draft on the consensus second-best player in the draft, they had better hope (Rubio’s) a bust. Or they’ll look ridiculous. It’ll be like the Pau Gasol trade, only worse. – Memphis Commercial Appeal

• “Don’t count Ricky out yet as a King, and don’t count him in yet.” said Dan Fegan, Ricky Rubio’s agent. “I’ve known Geoff (Petrie) for over 20 years, and in my experience he is a very deliberate thinker who will examine every aspect of a draft candidate and trade possibilities before he makes a final decision.”

More quotes after the jump:

• “All the options are out there. Everything is still on the table. I think there are four or five guys that are the most likely possibilities,” Memphis general manager Chris Wallace told USA Today, who have the #2 pick in the draft. “We haven’t gotten down to say: ‘There is one guy. It’s over. That’s it.  We don’t have to take the test until Thursday evening.”

• “Rubio, once his jump shot develops into a weapon, seems destined for greatness.  In my book, there are two sure things in this draft: Blake Griffin and Ricky Rubio. The Grizzlies should take advantage of being in position to draft a potential franchise point guard. Does Rubio have flaws? Sure. His perimeter shot needs work, the 18-year-old has to fill out and we’ll see about his defense. But he’s heady, flashy and a natural leader on the floor. If the Grizzlies pass because of financial issues or because they are scared he won’t sign, they will regret it.” – Chris Mannix, CNN/SI
  

• “I don’t see Rubio being that dynamic player now.  I think he’s got a lot of potential. He’s a very flashy player. He has a great mind for the game and he’s a terrific passer. I don’t see him — just physically, and because he doesn’t shoot the ball very well — I don’t see him having an impact as a rookie.” said Danny Ainge, the Boston Celtics’ executive director of basketball operations and general manager.

• “He is, in my opinion, one of the best passers I have ever seen and has a great basketball IQ, I compare Ricky Rubio to Wayne Gretzky in his prime. He sees plays two and three passes ahead.” said ESPN international-basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla. “Honestly, he’s not in the category of player as Pistol Pete, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson, but he’s the best passer to come into this draft in a long, long time.”

• “(Rubio) could become a mini Magic Johnson and make everyone around him better.” said Aran Smith, President of NBADraft.net

• “What’s intriguing about Rubio is we don’t know anything about him. What we hear isn’t very concrete. So he’s a big mystery man.” said Jim Kozimor, former Kings announcer.

• “(Rubio’s) a new breed – he’s been compared to the lead singer in one of those boy bands,” said ESPN basketball analyst Fran Fraschilla. “He’s got that kind of persona along with a game that personifies flair and excitement.”

• “I think the dude is just all hype. I can’t even front. I’m just going to be real with you guys.” – fellow point guard prospect Brandon Jennings on Rubio.

• Ricky Rubio separating himself from the competition: “For me, the difference from the other point guards is that I play against the professional guys, not the young players… I have the Olympic games experience…”

• “The Ricky Rubio situation I think I went a little overboard by calling him all hype. He’s a great player. He has the most experience out of all of us in this draft. He’s been playing pro ball since [he was] 15. So about him being over-hyped, that was wrong of me.” Brandon Jennings told the Washington Times. “I have much respect for the dude. We did a photo shoot together for Slam Magazine, so I got to know him off the court. He’s a real good guy.”

• Rubio on all the pre-draft talk: “I don’t think about what they say about me.  I only think about my objective. I have my own dreams and I don’t listen to people who say you’re going to be in the top or you’re going to be all hype. I don’t care. We’re going to see what they can do on the court. I talk on the court.”

Links and Resources: Rubio has no concerns, even if others do (New York Times), Intrigue in NBA draft starts at No. 2 with Memphis (Yahoo/AP), Ricky Rubio : The Next Pistol Pete / Drazen (Interbasket Forum), Grizzlies gambling if they choose any player other than Rubio (Memphis Commercial Appeal), No easy fixes, answers for Kings (Sacramento Bee), Jennings: Rubio ‘a really good guy’ (The Washington Times), Phone ringing for Grizzlies’ GM as draft nears (USA Today), Hot Draft Questions (CNN/SI)