Kevin Garnett Sold Ricky Rubio on Minnesota

Having spent his entire life in a much warmer climate, Ricky Rubio says he’ll adjust to the cold and snow in Minny, and having heard nothing but good things about the town and its fans from Kevin Garnett, Rubio says he’s excited to begin his career as a Timberwolf. From the Star Tribune: “The Wolves point guard is spending the lockout training twice a day and playing high-level pickup ball in California. Six thousand miles from home and perhaps even farther yet from his first NBA game, Timberwolves guard Ricky Rubio has prepped in Los Angeles for his new life and new league by scrimmaging with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce by day and — at least just once — visiting the city’s freak shows by night. ‘I like to lead a normal life,’ the 21-year-old from Spain said in a telephone interview from L.A. on an unusual rainy Friday afternoon, ;but I went to Hollywood Boulevard for Halloween and everybody was dressing up and it was fun. It was amazing all the people that were there. I really liked it.’ He left Barcelona and the Euroleague far behind and arrived in California last month to train twice a day and play pickup ball with athletes he will call opponents whenever this lengthening NBA lockout ends … His father has visited him in Los Angeles, and his mother arrives next week. He’ll also return to Minnesota in the next few weeks to search for a place to live. It will be his first time back since he was introduced at a Target Center news conference in June. During his week here, he played ball with new teammates Kevin Love, Michael Beasley, Derrick Williams, Wes Johnson, Anthony Randolph, Martell Webster and others for the first time. … ‘I know the weather won’t be like that when I go back,’ Rubio said. ‘I love the place. The people are so nice. I talk with KG, too, and he talked to me great things about Minnesota. He said the crowd cheers very hard for the team. They love the sport. We have to fight to give them what they are waiting for us to do, to win. I’m from Barcelona and now I’m in California, so Minnesota will be a big change. In the end, you have your house and you have the skywalks to go through, so that will make it easier for me. I have seen snow before: For a week in the mountains, but for no more than a week. But I’m ready, ready to get started, ready to make my dream come true. It doesn’t matter the weather. In the beginning, it will be funny. In the end, it will be hard.’”

http://www.slamonline.com/online/nba/2011/11/kevin-garnett-sold-ricky-rubio-on-minnesota/