The concerning Rubio

[AbeVigodaLive]

Hicks is out of line with that post.

It's not entirely optimistic. Damn him for being accurate.

[Q12543 [enjin:6621299]]

Frankly, Rubio and Pek are the least of our problems, yet we always have a tendency to pick on our best players, don't we? Same thing happened with Love last year.

This team has had a couple of players come through here that are top shelf: KG obviously, Love to me is right up there (I know not everyone agrees), and Rubio is borderline when you look at the impact he has on team performance. I mean, we are a completely different team with Rubio running the show, even with his balky shot. And hopefully Wiggins has a chance over the next couple of years to be that kind of player.

The problem has always, always, always, always been surrounding our top 1 or 2 players with the right complementary talent AND staying healthy. The first part is due to shitty GM decisions and second part is due to bad luck.

[TheGrey08]

Well put Cool. We can't expect a guy to completely overhaul his shot over summer and then be knocking it down with great consistency right off the bat. He need more time than that and unfortunately he missed nearly half the season due to injury. I still think he'll get there. He's too driven and good of a player not to IMO.

[Coolbreeze44]

With Ricky it's really an unknown because from all indications he's never devoted the time to it. I'd be awfully surprised, given his hand-eye coordination, if he couldn't improve with proper focus and effort.

Then, that's on him. Shame on him, actually.

He's in year 4 in the NBA. He played professionally for several years before that. He's made (or guaranteed to make) about $60M by the time he's 29.

He should have been devoting an inordinate amount of time to such a critical part of the game.

I agree with you. But from the time he was a pro (age 5 or something) he was to be a facilitator and not a scorer. That's what his teams wanted him to do and he became great at it. I really don't think his J has gotten much attention at all. And if you look at the mechanics, it's pretty obvious he hasn't. It would be one thing if he had great mechanics and still stunk, but that isn't the case.

[Coolbreeze44]

I have to chuckle at these comments....just a little. I said even earlier this year that we will be having this same discussion, perhaps until the end of Ricky's career. This guy is garbage at scoring the ball. Someone mentioned that "it isn't that he can't shoot, but rather he can't shoot consistently". Not to be a jerk, but duh! Every player that has ever played basketball for any length of time has gone through good stretches at one point or another. But the fact that Rubio is so wildly inconsistent is EXACTLY why he should be labeled as a guy that can't shoot or score. Some commented on his form improving earlier this season....I haven't seen 1 jumpshot this season that looks better than his previous form. Many reference his injury as the nagging issue. When does he get relief from this excuse? 1 year? 2 years? 3? Was horrible pre-injury, and is horrible post-injury. I guess I just don't see labeling any of his injuries as reasons why he isn't a good shooter. And I especially like the "he hasn't spent the time" and "he hasn't had the coaches" to get better. What? Being a part of the best European organization and team for like 5 seasons, and then spending 4 years in the NBA with specialized opportunity. What? Hasn't had the resources to become better? Are we saying he just spent his time passing to players, or against a wall, in practice and just overlooked a small fact that in the end, the ball needs to go in the hoop?

JUST STOP WITH THE EXCUSES!

I have always been a "Ricky Hater", but my young kids love him. So I have looked to embrace him to a point. I am learning to appreciate all the "other things" he does on the court, and I certainly see why some really like him. I think he is a great kid with some exceptional talents....they just don't revolve around scoring the basketball. This is why I wrote in an earlier post that I wouldn't dismiss a guy like Mudiay, because I don't feel like Rubio HAS TO BE our PG of the future. Like many positions on this team, the PG spot can, and should be upgraded if possible.

Then you haven't really been paying attention, and renders your opinion here meaningless. Not to be a jerk, but sorry.

[Coolbreeze44]

Frankly, Rubio and Pek are the least of our problems, yet we always have a tendency to pick on our best players, don't we? Same thing happened with Love last year.

This team has had a couple of players come through here that are top shelf: KG obviously, Love to me is right up there (I know not everyone agrees), and Rubio is borderline when you look at the impact he has on team performance. I mean, we are a completely different team with Rubio running the show, even with his balky shot. And hopefully Wiggins has a chance over the next couple of years to be that kind of player.

The problem has always, always, always, always been surrounding our top 1 or 2 players with the right complementary talent AND staying healthy. The first part is due to shitty GM decisions and second part is due to bad luck.

Couldn't agree more Q. The 2nd paragraph is pure truth.

[TheGrey08]

Then, that's on him. Shame on him, actually.

He's in year 4 in the NBA. He played professionally for several years before that. He's made (or guaranteed to make) about $60M by the time he's 29.

He should have been devoting an inordinate amount of time to such a critical part of the game.

I agree with you. But from the time he was a pro (age 5 or something) he was to be a facilitator and not a scorer. That's what his teams wanted him to do and he became great at it. I really don't think his J has gotten much attention at all. And if you look at the mechanics, it's pretty obvious he hasn't. It would be one thing if he had great mechanics and still stunk, but that isn't the case.

I really think him being pro so early in his career actually set him back in certain areas, mainly scoring. It's pretty apparent that they don't teach. I mean look how they used him with his Spanish team lol.

[AbeVigodaLive]

Then, that's on him. Shame on him, actually.

He's in year 4 in the NBA. He played professionally for several years before that. He's made (or guaranteed to make) about $60M by the time he's 29.

He should have been devoting an inordinate amount of time to such a critical part of the game.

I agree with you. But from the time he was a pro (age 5 or something) he was to be a facilitator and not a scorer. That's what his teams wanted him to do and he became great at it. I really don't think his J has gotten much attention at all. And if you look at the mechanics, it's pretty obvious he hasn't. It would be one thing if he had great mechanics and still stunk, but that isn't the case.

I really think him being pro so early in his career actually set him back in certain areas, mainly scoring. It's pretty apparent that they don't teach. I mean look how they used him with his Spanish team lol.

There's no excuse to be 24 and in year (x) of a pro career and not devote time to shooting if that's the ONE area your game needs the most.

Excuses for the Spanish league. Excuses for the NBA.

Enough. Rubio is to blame. NOBODY else. More importantly, maybe it's not even his fault. Not everybody can be a great shooter. Thousands of people don't make the NBA or college or even the high school team because they can't shoot. Sometimes, they just aren't good at it. You can't make just anybody a great shooter or passer in heated game situations against incredible athletes in front of 15,000 people.

So the odds are against him improving much. He is who he is. But, as I noted initially in this thread... and Q and others have noted... he's still a pretty damn good player despite it. He's so unique and so good at other things that being poor at such a critical fundamental part of the game doesn't have the impact we might otherwise think it would.

I know this word is a dangerous one... but NBA history tells us that Rubio improving as a shooter at this stage in his career would be an anomaly.

[Coolbreeze44]

Then, that's on him. Shame on him, actually.

He's in year 4 in the NBA. He played professionally for several years before that. He's made (or guaranteed to make) about $60M by the time he's 29.

He should have been devoting an inordinate amount of time to such a critical part of the game.

I agree with you. But from the time he was a pro (age 5 or something) he was to be a facilitator and not a scorer. That's what his teams wanted him to do and he became great at it. I really don't think his J has gotten much attention at all. And if you look at the mechanics, it's pretty obvious he hasn't. It would be one thing if he had great mechanics and still stunk, but that isn't the case.

I really think him being pro so early in his career actually set him back in certain areas, mainly scoring. It's pretty apparent that they don't teach. I mean look how they used him with his Spanish team lol.

There's no excuse to be 24 and in year (x) of a pro career and not devote time to shooting if that's the ONE area your game needs the most.

Excuses for the Spanish league. Excuses for the NBA.

Enough. Rubio is to blame. NOBODY else. More importantly, maybe it's not even his fault. Not everybody can be a great shooter. Thousands of people don't make the NBA or college or even the high school team because they can't shoot. Sometimes, they just aren't good at it. You can't make just anybody a great shooter or passer in heated game situations against incredible athletes in front of 15,000 people.

So the odds are against him improving much. He is who he is. But, as I noted initially in this thread... and Q and others have noted... he's still a pretty damn good player despite it. He's so unique and so good at other things that being poor at such a critical fundamental part of the game doesn't have the impact we might otherwise think it would.

I know this word is a dangerous one... but NBA history tells us that Rubio improving as a shooter at this stage in his career would be an anomaly.

Fine, there is nobody else to blame but him. So what?

[AbeVigodaLive]

Then, that's on him. Shame on him, actually.

He's in year 4 in the NBA. He played professionally for several years before that. He's made (or guaranteed to make) about $60M by the time he's 29.

He should have been devoting an inordinate amount of time to such a critical part of the game.

I agree with you. But from the time he was a pro (age 5 or something) he was to be a facilitator and not a scorer. That's what his teams wanted him to do and he became great at it. I really don't think his J has gotten much attention at all. And if you look at the mechanics, it's pretty obvious he hasn't. It would be one thing if he had great mechanics and still stunk, but that isn't the case.

I really think him being pro so early in his career actually set him back in certain areas, mainly scoring. It's pretty apparent that they don't teach. I mean look how they used him with his Spanish team lol.

There's no excuse to be 24 and in year (x) of a pro career and not devote time to shooting if that's the ONE area your game needs the most.

Excuses for the Spanish league. Excuses for the NBA.

Enough. Rubio is to blame. NOBODY else. More importantly, maybe it's not even his fault. Not everybody can be a great shooter. Thousands of people don't make the NBA or college or even the high school team because they can't shoot. Sometimes, they just aren't good at it. You can't make just anybody a great shooter or passer in heated game situations against incredible athletes in front of 15,000 people.

So the odds are against him improving much. He is who he is. But, as I noted initially in this thread... and Q and others have noted... he's still a pretty damn good player despite it. He's so unique and so good at other things that being poor at such a critical fundamental part of the game doesn't have the impact we might otherwise think it would.

I know this word is a dangerous one... but NBA history tells us that Rubio improving as a shooter at this stage in his career would be an anomaly.

Fine, there is nobody else to blame but him. So what?

in bold.

just saying, I wouldn't expect much improvement.