Ricky Rubio is coming to America. It's long been speculated, and reports even came out last week that he'd signed a contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but now the Spanish point guard has also announced his intentions to come to the NBA.
Rubio held a press conference in Barcelona on Friday where he discussed a variety of topics including the NBA lockout, the reason he's finally decided to go to the NBA and even the fact that he'd been avoided Minnesota since being selected with the Wolves first round pick in the 2009 NBA Draft.
"As I've said, I'm going to the NBA," Rubio told the assembled media, in Spanish, to open the press conference. "I've taken this decision, it's always been a dream, and now it's about to come true. Minnesota has shown they believe in me -- they did from the very moment when they picked me in the draft."
Minnesota has definitely shown that they believe in Rubio -- president of basketball operations David Kahn practially put his job on the line -- and Rubio skirted the reasoning for why he didn't believe in the Timberwolves.
"What most motivates me is to play with the best and the NBA is the best league in the world. There you come up against the very best and find out if you're really up to it," Rubio said. "For whatever reasons, I just didn't go two years ago, but now I can so I'd like to give my thanks to them because they've shown a lot. They've shown that they really want me there."
Of course there will be a significant transition, but it's one Rubio finally seems he's ready for.
"I've never left Barcelona, I've never gone to live anywhere else, so it's totally a new experience," Rubio said. "Of course it's been scary, but it's also an adventure that you really want to have."
And last, but not least, Rubio even commented on the lockout as a potential positive.
"I think that if there is a lockout, eventually, however long the lockout lasts will give me more time to get myself prepared."
The press conference video, with English translations, is embedded below.
Who's excited?