In a seaside village, just miles outside of Barcelona lives one of the best point guards that no American has ever heard of...well for now. His name is Ricky Rubio, yet the people of Spain call him La Pistola, Spain's version of Pistol Pete Maravich. However, he will most likely become the 2nd overall pick in this years NBA Draft behind Blake Griffin. Why do we know so little about him...why haven't we heard more? Mostly because the kid never spoke much, or granted any interviews. His parents and his club team wouldn't allow it. For the most part, he's been kept in a bubble and hardwired for basketball since a very young age. Marc Calderon, his U14 coach, said "He reads basketball at a velocity very few can achieve." He reads the court like a veteran, yet distributes the ball with the flair and elegance of a youthful Magic Johnson. An Eastern exec said "He's the European LeBron James. He's not so crazy strong, but he does other things: the creativity, the Maravich-type stuff. He brings people out of their chairs, and he'll put them in your stands. He's a top-three pick." A couple of big-market European teams have already offered him NBA-type money, up to 2.5 million euros (nearly $4 million) to play for them. Yet, Rubio is too competitive to pass up the chance to play night after night against the world's best. He's coming to the NBA in 2009, let's see if he can live up to the hype.
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