NBA

Timberwolves’ Rubio showing flashes of greatness

PASSING FANCY: Ricky Rubio has played in three games in his comeback from ACL surgery, and former Spanish League opponent Pablo Prigioni believes Rubio’s passing is “the best of what he does.”

PASSING FANCY: Ricky Rubio has played in three games in his comeback from ACL surgery, and former Spanish League opponent Pablo Prigioni believes Rubio’s passing is “the best of what he does.” (Getty Images (2))

PASSING FANCY: Ricky Rubio (above) has played in three games in his comeback from ACL surgery, and former Spanish League opponent Pablo Prigioni believes Rubio’s passing is “the best of what he does.” (Getty Images (2))

Ricky Rubio was back from a torn ACL injury for only a couple minutes when he unleashed a ridiculous look-this-way, send-it-that-way pass that also happened to go in-between his legs to a cutting Greg Stiemsma for a layup. YouTube exploded.

The Knicks’ Pablo Prigioni just shrugged. Seen it before.

“I think how he passes the ball is the best of what he does,” said Prigioni who faced Rubio in the Spanish League. “Sometimes, he sees passes other players don’t see.”

Prigioni, the Knicks’ 35-year-old veteran point guard, figures to face Rubio, 22, again at some point during the Knicks-Timberwolves game today. Rubio has played in three games off the bench — Minnesota won two, including a stunning victory over Oklahoma City that ended the Thunder’s 12-game winning streak — since tearing his ACL last March.

Rubio played well in his first game against Dallas, but has shown rust in the following two. He’s not playing in back-to-back games and averaging about 18 minutes a night. He’s slowly working back.

But he grabbed some attention in a hurry.

“He really explodes,” Prigioni said. “He’s very young in the league. With Spain, 16 years old and he was playing, getting minutes. And since, he has grown up every year.”

Rubio, the first player born in the 1990s to play in the Euroleague — and the NBA’s first player drafted from that decade — was Minnesota’s No. 5 pick in 2009. He elected to stay in Europe but eventually came over last season. He caught on quickly.

“When he’s in the game, when he’s on the court, he is always trying to enjoy the game,” Prigioni said of Rubio, who with Kevin Love gives the T’wolves, they hope, an exciting 1-2 combo for years. “He tries to have fun on the court at all times. He likes to pass the ball, he likes to drive. He reads the game perfect.”

Another veteran Knicks point guard has been impressed. And he didn’t need a YouTube clip.

“He’s a young talented guard. He was playing very well before his injury and I haven’t seen much of him since he’s been back but I anticipate he can still pass the ball with the best of them,” said Jason Kidd, who waved off Rubio’s youth. “He passes the ball like a veteran.”

It’s the passing everyone admires. Rubio does it, Prigioni said, without fear and with risk.

“When he was young, he played not scared. He’d just take so many risks, no matter the situation,” Prigioni said. “He’s not afraid to take risks at any moment of the game.”