Pete: Everybody is talking about Ricky Rubio. Is he as good as people think he is? What makes him so special?

Raul: Yes he is. He played for the first time in ACB league against professional players when he was 14 years old. Now he’s 18 and has a silver medal and some Spanish and European titles. He has played in Euroleague [since he was] 16 years old.

He’s a very intelligent player. He knows the game as if he was 30 years old. A hard worker, his coaches love him, his teammates love him. He’s a great defender, and is getting better every day. Not only he can steal the ball, he can make good helps, force offensive fouls, grab rebounds, block shots. His [wingspan] is 6′7″ and his hands are really quick. He can pass, he can drive, he can shoot (he’s improving his mid and long range shooting).

The thing I like most is that he can play a final with a smile on his face. He enjoys the game. And his mind is clear: He’s staying in Europe for some years, he knows he has time before going to America and he will not force that trip. So you’ll have to wait a little bit my friends…

Pete: Who else in Spain should NBA fans be excited about?

Raul: There already are NBA scouts watching Victor Claver, a forward from Pamesa Valencia [Pete's note: Check out the Antawn Jamison/Jorge Garbajosa comparison on NBADraft.net]. He will probably be on the National Team next summer. He’s a good 3PT shooter and has a great ability to play in open court. For his size – 6′9″ – he should be a force in the low post against forwards, but he still has to develop this area of his game (he has the skills, but he needs the strength and, more important, the will). In Spain he can also play power forward without problems but in USA he would be a “3″. He’s got great potential, but a long way to be an NBA player.