Rubio defers stint in NBA

BARCELONA, Spain – Ricky Rubio preferred to keep playing basketball in Spain because joining the Minnesota Timberwolves was a risky move that would complicate his life.

The 19-year-old point guard was sent from DKV Joventut to Barcelona on Tuesday after the Catalan club paid Rubio’s euro3.5 million ($5 million) buyout clause.

Rubio, the Timberwolves’ fifth overall pick in this year’s draft, agreed to a six-year deal that included a buyout clause that allows him to leave for the NBA after two years.

“Going to Minnesota would have just complicated my life a lot. It was a risk and I didn’t see it so clearly,” Rubio said. “My priority was the NBA and it was impossible for the Minnesota Timberwolves to pay my buyout clause, so I wanted to stay home.”

Timberwolves president David Kahn traveled to Spain three times to try to work out a deal and appeared to have secured Rubio’s passage to Minnesota less than 48 hours before the player changed his mind, preferring to stay on home soil to prepare for life in the NBA. (AP)