A lackluster NBA draft like 2009's is sure to be only magnifies the difference between the well-run teams and the ones doomed to Clipperdom.  Myriad factors play into a draftee's success: background, demeanor, makeup of the drafting team, coaching, and plain ol' luck.  From management's perspective, the utmost care must be taken in assembling your team of millionaires who will 82+ times a year prove your competence or lack thereof.  Thus teams with lottery picks must be especially careful in their selections, not just for the sake of building the team, but for the perception of paying customers of how they're building the team. 

That's why Ricky Rubio presents such a challenge.  Scouting of European teams has become vastly more sophisticated in the past decade, but the huge differences in style of play and team composition make it difficult to extrapolate how well a foreign player will do in the NBA.  European leagues have a long history of producing excellent NBA swingmen and even a handful of quality bigs.  However, here's the list of All-Star point guards from across the Atlantic: Tony Parker.  Carlos Arroyo and Jose Calderon have been contributors and the jury's still out on Sergio Rodriguez, but the list of busts is lengthy, including such luminaries as Marko Jaric and Sarunas Jasikevicius.  Success in Europe, like success in the American college game, doesn't always translate (e.g. Adam Morrison and JJ Redick were both in these NBA finals, fetching drinks for Kobe and Dwight), especially from point guard production.

Some might make the argument that Rubio performed well in international competition, even against the mighty Redeem Team.  There are several flaws with this thinking.  First, FIBA is not the NBA, with different game play and even a different court.  Second, a couple of games against Team USA is a pathetic sample size to know how someone fares against the NBA style, and it doesn't say anything about how he would play in an NBA style.  Third, certain players make a big splash in international play and it doesn't carry over into league play.  Sarunas Jasikevicius had a long history of sensational play in international tournaments, particularly torching Team USA (2000 Gold medal game?)  Then he signed with the Pacers and was dealt to the Warriors and couldn't crack the rotation in either place and went back to Europe with his tail between his legs.

Lastly, when you watch Ricky Rubio highlights, none of them include him hitting a jump shot.  With a low, flat shot and poor lateral movement, he is guaranteed to be torched on both ends by guards with any quickness.

There is a lot to like about Ricky Rubio - his passing, his court awareness, his leadership potential - but before we anoint him, let's take a long, hard look at his entire skill set and the history of European point guards in the NBA.