The Right Choice for Little Ricky

What do Pooh Richardson, Felton Spencer, Christian Laettener, Luc Longley, Isaiah Rider, Donyell Marshall, Corey Brewer, and Wally Szczerbiak have in common?

Answer:  Until 2008, minus Kevin Garnett, they are the mostly horrific list of all-time top 10 draft picks by the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Of course, the list also does not include those who were drafted and immediately traded. That includes super-stud Brandon Roy, budding star O.J. Mayo, and potential hall-of-famer Ray Allen (dealt for the mentally unbalanced Stephon Marbury who then forced a trade to New Jersey three years later).

To borrow from Quentin Tarantino, T-Wolves drafts have largely been a group of “Inglorious Basterds.”

Flash forward to draft-day 2009.  After forcing out the large shouldered Kevin McHale, new GM and Jewish Community Center hoops phenom David Kahn inexplicably drafted two point guards at picks five and six — Spanish infant Ricky Rubio and Syracuse’s capable tiny fella Jonny Flynn. The move left most scratching their collective domes.

The thought was that something would have to give, and now comes good news for the Minny faithful. On Tuesday Rubes backed out of a supposed deal with Kahn to play for the T-Wolves this season and next. And yes, I said it’s good news. Great news, in fact. Nothing could be better for Little Ricky, the pained Minnesota fan-base, or those of us who enjoy watching mildly robust levels of basketball.

As Kahn himself said, “I also agreed with Ricky’s position that two more years of competition in Spain and the Euroleague will only aid his development …”

Amen brother!  There are enough no-talent knuckleheads like Darius Miles in the league who entered too early, got too much, and flamed out too horrifically. If you saw Rubio play against the U.S. team during the last Olympics, he looked like an infant among men. Think Webster vs. Coolidge from “The White Shadow.”

His back-pedal provides for a few things. First, Ricky can grow up and possibly strap on a mustache. Second, Jonny Flynn can play the point and run the floor like a bat-out-of-hell as he’s apt to do. Third, the distraction of Jonny vs. Ricky is gone. And fourth, the Wolves can have yet another wasted pick in its history — at least for the next two years.

Good choice Little Ricky.

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