hermanblumejr wrote:
Well done, it's indeed Sergio Rodriguez. The similarities don't end just in their stats. I was reading Rodriguez's pre-draft reports, and some of these things sound alot like Ricky. For example, here's what DraftExpress wrote about him:
Sergio Rodríguez is an off-the-charts basketball talent; one of just a few players capable of surprising even the most knowledgeable minds in the game with his moves. A very creative playmaker, he has a superb ability to generate offense, whether for himself or for his teammates, based on an outstanding skill set.
Not a superb athlete, nor a physical freak, Sergio fills the bill for the basic tools required to carry his game to the next level. At 6-3, he has good size to handle the position while showing a nice enough frame for a point guard. Even if there’s still significant work to do, his body development in the past few years has been noticeable, particularly during the previous season. He won’t blow anybody with his athleticism, but he’s a fairly quick guy and he let’s his skills do the rest.
As you can see, there is nothing particularly special regarding his physical profile; what really sets him apart from virtually every other youngster is his skill set. To start with, Sergio is a terrific ball-handler. More in the line to what we usually see in American playmakers, he dominates the ball. High dribble, low dribble, crossover, behind-the-back dribble, he’s mastered every single variant at a young age with both hands. But he’s not an exhibitionist; it’s only a matter of gaining advantages through this skill. He’s really quick driving the ball, and creative in order to get to where he wants....
Perhaps the most spectacular among his skills, Sergio is a consummate passer. Enjoying outstanding court vision, it’s in those slashing situations where he probably shines the most. Whenever he forces a defensive rotation, he has the ability to find the open man, intelligently seeing the floor and utilizing the opposite side of the floor for a quick reverse to get the defense off-balance. He’s automatic in pick and roll plays, showing perfect timing to distribute the ball, or finishing himself if the defenders opt not to switch. It’s needless to say how helpful this will be in the NBA, where there’s more emphasis on individual defenses rather than team defenses. When Sergio is on the court, it’s not rare to see a wing cutting by the baseline while the pick and roll takes all the attention, and to be perfectly fed by Rodríguez.
My point is that before comparing Rubio to Nash and Kidd, so far he shares alot in common with Sergio Rodriguez. Ricky may turn out to be a superstar, but there's also a very good chance he will wind up as a decent but unspectacular NBA player, like Sergio.