MINNEAPOLIS (AP)-When Matt Delzell takes a look at Ricky Rubio through his
sports marketer's glasses, all he sees are dollar signs.
"He's young. He's Spanish. He's a good-looking kid," said Delzell, a
director for Los Angeles-based Davie Brown Talent, one of the largest talent
buyers in the United States. "There is a lot of hype and buzz that is
already around him."
"Buzz" is that most fickle, slippery of qualities that is harder to get a
grip on than one of the point guard's no-look passes. But Delzell said that
intangible quality, combined with a flashy style of play, a baby face and a
shaggy 'do that is en vogue with young people make the 18-year-old Rubio a
highly marketable commodity in the endorsement world.
That's icing on the cake for most big-time athletes. But for Rubio, who is
facing a contract buyout from his Spanish professional team that could cost
him more than $6 million, it might mean the difference between playing for
the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA this year or delaying that dream for
another season or two.
"The majority of the rookies that come into the league aren't faced with
this dilemma," Delzell said. "Whatever they sign for, they get to keep. With
him having to give up so much, he may be more inclined to consider endorsing
opportunities or appearances."
The opportunities should be plentiful for a precocious young talent with the
flair for the dramatic.
Darin David, a director with the sports marketing firm Millsport in Dallas,
said Rubio's appeal both in Europe and the United States would make it
conceivable for him to recoup much of the money he loses on the buyout, if
not all, through endorsements.
"If he is able to deliver the kind of play that's expected of him, then
certainly between the U.S. and Spain he's going to be more popular and have
a lot more interest globally," David said.
Minnesota Timberwolves president of basketball operations David Kahn left on
Monday to fly to Spain to meet with Joventut officials in hopes of reducing
the cost of the buyout.
"I'm hopeful that in some small way I can be helpful in this process and
keep it moving forward and solving the singular the issue, which is the
buyout," he said.
The Timberwolves jumped at the chance to grab Rubio with the fifth overall
pick on draft night, a move that had the 2,000 or so fans at Target Center
for a draft party cheering wildly.
"We understand how special he is. Frankly, how unique he is," Kahn said
after the draft. "There's never been a player like this. Nobody has ever
played in the gold medal game against Team USA at the age of 17. There's no
such thing. It's almost surreal."
Under the rules of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, the
Timberwolves can only contribute $500,000 to the buyout cause, so Rubio can
use all the help he can get. He made less than $100,000 playing for Joventut
last year, so he is by no means a wealthy man who can just write a check and
be done with it.
That's where the business world comes in.
Rubio signed with Joventut at 14, the youngest player ever to appear in a
game in the competitive Spanish ACB league. His emergence coincided with the
Internet explosion, and his YouTube highlights have drawn massive amounts of
hits after Rubio helped Spain to the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics.
"He's going to be in the news more and more, and people are going to
anticipate more and more what this kid can do on the court," David said. "He
does have that going for him."
Rubio is already appearing in a television commercial for Gillette, a
company that has been aggressive in securing relationships with some of the
biggest names in sports. Rubio appears in the spot with New York Yankees
shortstop Derek Jeter, tennis superstar Roger Federer and golfer Tiger
Woods, perhaps the most recognizable sports figure in the world.
"It's a pretty good start," Delzell said. "Hype got him this commercial. He
hasn't played one second of NBA basketball, but there's already so much
hype."
Hype, of course, will only take him so far. Once he arrives in the States,
Rubio will have to show on the court that he is every bit the "virtuoso" and
"orchestra conductor with the basketball" that Kahn described in a letter to
Timberwolves fans after the draft.
"There are plenty of companies who will say that he's interesting and will
keep an eye on him, but we're not going to invest or commit that significant
amount of money without seeing that he's legit," Delzell said. "So if he
performs, I don't have a doubt that he will be able to make up that buyout
amount. It will come down to performance."
