In a tense and exciting warm-up game, the U.S. Men's Basketball Team defeated Spain with a thrilling 83-76 reversal. After the game, Spain's Rubio expressed his views on this U.S. team: "If they really play the charm of team basketball, it will be a disaster for us! In the FIBA arena, Team USA players are often the headliners of NBA teams and they must learn to play a more low-key role in FIBA."
While the strength of this year's Dream Team may not be the strongest in history, it is by no means the weakest. As Rubio said, the depth of the U.S. team's lineup dominates among the Olympic powers. And when it comes to Rubio, even though he can only be considered an average player in the NBA, he is a sharp blade in the world arena!
In the warm-up game with Spain, Rubio only played 22 minutes, contributed 23 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal, with the highest score of the game to force 19 points Lillard. In the first half, the Spanish team played with ease, Rubio is with efficient individual offense to help Spain lead. However, the second half of the team failed to maintain the state of the final 76-83 loss, but Rubio still play the role of the team's brain.
When we think of Rubio, we naturally think of Mills, who is also in the FIBA arena. Their most iconic matchup was the 2019 World Cup semifinal, where Spain beat Australia in two overtimes to earn a ticket to the final! Rubio chipped in 19 points, seven rebounds and 12 assists, while Mills had 32 points, three rebounds and two assists.
In the final game against Argentina, no one expected Rubio once again become the key man of the team, he contributed 20 points, 7 rebounds and 3 assists, helping Spain to 95-75 victory over Argentina, after 13 years again in the basketball World Cup championship. Rubio was also honored with the MVP trophy, and Kobe himself tweeted his congratulations: "Well deserved! It's been a privilege to witness your growth, keep up the good work."
In that World Cup, Rubio won the Best XI, became the MVP of the tournament and the MVP of the final! The most impressive photo is the image of him holding the trophy and pointing his finger to the sky. Who would have thought that he would be where he is today?
And this action can not help but remind people of that hot summer of 2008, 17-year-old Rubio just entered the national team. Prior to that, Rubio's journey hadn't been a smooth one.
Back 15 years ago, at the European U16 Basketball Championship, Rubio scored 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists and 7 steals, and helped Spain win the trophy, when he was known as the "Golden Boy".
After the trials and tribulations of the La Liga, 17-year-old Rubio was successfully selected for the Spanish national team. At the Beijing Olympics, the youngster faced the experienced stars and led the team all the way to the finals, where the opponent was the rising American "Dream 8", in which Kobe was also present.
In the case of Calderon's injury, the Spanish manager sent Rubio as a starter, although the team was still defeated by the U.S. Men's Basketball Team, but Rubio on the field "play" Deron and Kidd's picture is unforgettable.
In 2009, Rubio participated in the NBA draft and experienced a low point of injury. In the Rio Olympics, Rubio's performance was terrible, shooting a very low percentage, known as the "iron boy" by fans. In an unpopular situation, Rubio grew a beard and long hair to change himself, which led to the outstanding performance in the 2019 World Cup.
Maybe some fans will think it's Rubio's luck to have Gasol, big and small, around him and a group of powerful teammates. But from another point of view, if you are not strong enough, how can you be teammates with Gasol in the Spanish national team? Go for it, talented young man, and may all the best.
