It’s been 15 years since Ricky Rubio made NBA history.

The 2024 draft is approaching, which inevitably brings back memories of times gone by. 2009 was one of the most special for two obvious reasons. The first was the selection of Ricky Rubio. The Catalan point guard, now a Barça player, finished at number 5, a breakthrough for a European player, but even more so in such a hectic draft… which brings us to the second reason why he will be remembered.

The Minnesota Timberwolves also took Jonny Flynn with the sixth pick. Or, you know, the same thing. They passed on Stephen Curry. The Warriors legend, one of the best point guards in NBA history, ended up falling to seventh, but the Golden State team didn’t miss the chance to grab him and change the history of the league.

The selection of Flynn was a huge mistake (he only lasted three seasons in the NBA), but keeping Rickey was not a bad decision for the Wolves. The Catalan point guard finished his NBA career with averages of 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 7.4 assists in 698 games, but the comparison is odious and there is no way to compare it to Curry’s career: the best three-point shot of all time, four championship rings and still one of the best leagues in the world. Rickey is not to blame, but he is certainly one of the main protagonists of the biggest mistakes in the history of the draft.