THE NBA CAN WAIT FOR EUROPEAN WONDER BOY

Spanish whiz kid Ricky Rubio.

There will still be no sighting of European wonder boy Ricky Rubio in the NBA next season. The 19 year-old Spanish point guard opted to remain with Regal FC Barcelona, where he averaged 6.8 ppg and 4.2 apg in 22 total games last year, according to the Toronto Sun. He might suit up with the Minnesota Timberwolves, which drafted him fifth over-all in the 2009 rookie draft, starting the 2011-12 season. Rubio said once he plays in the NBA, he intends to stay in the league for so long. And if things don’t workout in his US pro career, there is always the chance to comeback in the Euro League.

“I am still talking to Minnesota but at the moment it’s not foremost in my thoughts. Next year we’ll think about whether I go over there. I’ll talk with whom I need to talk to, with Barcelona, with Minnesota, with my agents, and we’ll decide.

“It’s an exciting prospect playing in the NBA, one that every player wants. When you are little you dream about it.

“There are (Spanish) players who go there and things don’t go well and they prefer to come back, others who triumph. If I go there and I get on badly in the first few years I’ll come back but in principle I intend to stay there as long as I can.”