Since he scored 51 points, grabbed 24 rebounds, and dished 12 assists and hit a half-court three-pointer to take the U16 European Championship Men final into overtime and then win it back in August 2006, Ricky Rubio's name has been all around the basketball world. Still only 19, he arrives in Turkey after an amazing year full of success.
After being selected by the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the NBA Draft (5th) in June 2009, he helped Spain as starting playmaker to grab a Gold medal at EuroBasket 2009.
He signed a multi-year deal with powerhouse Regal F.C. Barcelona and achieved a Euroleague title, Copa del Rey and ACB Supercopa Championships in Spain, only falling short in the Liga ACB finals.
And remember - he is only 19. So why is Rubio so special? Well, he is a natural born talent, with incredible court vision and passing skills and an unprecedented sense for anticipation and therefore, steals and good defensive plays.
All his team-mates and opponents share a common opinion: "Rubio plays like a veteran", and it is definitely true. In Turkey 2010, Rubio will be less pressured as he will share playmaking with Jose Manuel Calderon who was absent last year.
