Ricky Rubio delivered one of the most incredible performances ever witnessed in youth categories, truly a game for the ages. Actually, it's quite safe to assert that nobody has even come close in at least the last fifteen years. In a double-overtime thriller, Rubio led Spain to victory with 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists and 7 steals. He was just unstoppable, getting into the lane at will, creating for his teammates, fighting for rebounds, coming away with any loose ball, playing defense (although not nearly as consistently as he does it now); he was everywhere on the court. That day, Ricky looked like he was blessed by the basketball gods.

I saw this kid playing Spanish league last year on TV, thought he looked pretty young, found out later he was only 16 and made his debut at 15!!

He's clearly freakishly talented, but the Spanish league has a history of blooding younsters who don't go on with it. I did a bit of research after seeing him play, details are a little hazy 5 months down the track, but I remember reading about a guy who debuted at 14 and only played 10 games or so in his career.

I'm pretty sure I've written a post about him before, Isaac, what ever happened to the old search function that used to be on the forum? It was a lot better than the google one that sits alone now.

Billo - was that the point guard with mixtape-style skills? If so, I remember him, but thought he was a bit older?

You're right about this Google search - can never find anything. It's terrible.

No, I think that was a different guy, that mix tape was a few years old if I recall which would put him at 14, the guy in the mix tape was older. I had a look through my old posts and couldn't find where I'd posted anything about Rubio so maybe I just thought about posting something!

Any chance of bringing back the old search function? It was always a bit weird having 2 but it was useful having one that worked! Searching for older posts I could usually remember an obscure word used in the thread which was fine under the old method, the google search never gives me what I'm after!

Wow, this clip shows a few highlights of his 51 point game in the U16 European Championships final, especially the half court shot he hit to send the game into OT. Not just a regulation half court short, oh no, a double pump halfcourt shot on 2 defenders no less.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTKnydGoyII

Billo, old search has been reinstated - seems to be fairly fast and picks up posts more or less as they're made.

BTW, this is the kid I was talking about: Sergio Rodriguez - now playing with the Jailblazers in the NBA.

Yep the Spanish have got an awesome stable of young up-coming 1,2, and 3s - Sergio Rodriguez, Rubio and Rudy Fernandez... Why we can't produce guys like like that i just don't get it... BA should be sending guys over to Europe to see what needs to be done in our junior development programs...

Is it at all viable to increase the capacity of the AIS?

Probably viable financially but not politically - since the AIS (for some) is a vote getter... and increasing the capacity of the Bball programme (for many) would be akin to slitting the throat of a Joey in a Kindergarten... when we are world "Powers" in such sports as cricket and Rugby - if it ain`t broke don`t fix it... and i think bball would lose out in any horsetrading 9 times out of ten...

Thanks Isaac

The AIS did produce a U19 World Championship team just over 3 years ago (IIRC Robbins was the only nonAIS athlete on that team)...so something must be going right, doesn't seem to be anything wrong with the production line atm!

libertine was that with bogut?

My friends, I'm Jaume from Barcelona ( Spain ), I saw this guy for the first time when he made his debut at 14 years. ( not 15 ).
He is extremely talented, but not the kind of player some of you can expect. He's not a shooter or a jumper, he's the kind of player all the coaches would like to have in his team. The most mature kid I've seen at his age, with 14 he plays with strong men of 30 and you cant't see the difference. His strenghts are the game vision, he can control perfectly the rythm of the game, the assists, and above all: his defensive skills. Very difficult for the rival point guard to pass from the half of the court
( marvelous hands ). Here in ACB, lots of ex NBA centers are looking for the ball after a missed shoot and...incredible! Ricky has grabbed it! Sure you'll see him in NBA in the future, but don't expect him to
post 30 pts per game, he is the extension of the couch in the court.

Ricky is so good player and so young but he has got a brain like Pau Gasol or "Magic Jonson"

You know, I can't think 'Ricky Rubio' without thinking that God-awful Phil Collins song 'Sussudio': 'Rick, Rick, Ricky Rubio - woah oh oh'.

Try and get it out of your head. You can't. :)

Ricky will be a superstar in the NBA. He will be a combination of Jason Kidd and Pete Maravich. He won't score like the Pistol but plays the game with his type of flair and like Kidd cause of his court vision. Ricky Rubio mark it down future SUPERSTAR!!!

hi friends iam from thailand and now iam looking about basketball and i think spain team is very good . if USA is the dream team but spain is the best team . i think RUBIO will be the best player in the future.
..........

Gidday Whitey Cobbers, I am from a remote farming community in outback WA, where I work as a general XXXXkicker for the white bosses. I've been having a look at this baskethoops american crap on the telly a bit lately and I reckon those Aussie boomers are the bees knees. I thought that Millsy kid was great (for someone that couldn't even win Australian Idol) and he's gonna be a F*&^ing star of the future.

A VB to all of ya's.

I like the debate over here. Just saw the Ricky Rubio highlights for myself and let me tell you I was impressed.

Here are my thoughts: http://www.aarontorres-sports.com/?p=636