David Kahn and the Wolves asked me to pass this along and post it here on the blog…
(An excerpt from the letter)
It wasn’t until late Thursday afternoon that I thought there was a chance Ricky Rubio might be available for us at No. 5. I had actually been told by somebody who I deeply respect in the NBA that Ricky would be selected third by Oklahoma City. But we were prepared for all options nonetheless.
Ricky has one of the most tenacious, most capable agents in our sport, Dan Fegan. He cares deeply about his clients. I explained to Dan late afternoon that we were singularly motivated to build an NBA championship-contending team in Minnesota — that it might take a few years, of course — but that nobody here cared about anything other than competing for an NBA title. That we have only one life to live, and that we must spend our lives trying, as Pat Riley once taught me, to leave footprints.
I purposely selected Ricky with the fifth pick, not the sixth, to help with his buyout situation. Ricky and his family have taken a very bold step to enter the NBA despite having two years remaining on his contract with his Spanish team. I know that they would have preferred that we try to move to the second or third pick to take him, and I respect their wishes, but my belief was that we need during these next 15 months to acquire multiple pieces to make this a championship-contending team over the next three-to-four years. The price for moving to No. 2 or 3 was far too steep.
Ricky has one of the most tenacious, most capable agents in our sport, Dan Fegan. He cares deeply about his clients. I explained to Dan late afternoon that we were singularly motivated to build an NBA championship-contending team in Minnesota — that it might take a few years, of course — but that nobody here cared about anything other than competing for an NBA title. That we have only one life to live, and that we must spend our lives trying, as Pat Riley once taught me, to leave footprints.
I purposely selected Ricky with the fifth pick, not the sixth, to help with his buyout situation. Ricky and his family have taken a very bold step to enter the NBA despite having two years remaining on his contract with his Spanish team. I know that they would have preferred that we try to move to the second or third pick to take him, and I respect their wishes, but my belief was that we need during these next 15 months to acquire multiple pieces to make this a championship-contending team over the next three-to-four years. The price for moving to No. 2 or 3 was far too steep.
Ricky is a proven professional who played against the USA in the Gold Medal game in the Beijing Olympics. He is a virtuoso, a rare player who may well be unique. I have long believed that he has the chance to become one of basketball’s brightest stars. You’ve seen the highlights — he is like an orchestra conductor with the basketball.
He will be our starting point guard here the moment he walks through our front door. We may have to wait a year, or even two, but he is worth the wait. We must be patient. This is a big step for he and his family.
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