As the Minnesota Timberwolves prepare for next week's NBA draft, their top pick from a year ago, the precocious teenager that many believe holds the key to turning around one of the most moribund franchises in the league, remains thousands of miles away overseas. Ricky Rubio balked at an opportunity last summer to leave Spain and join the Wolves, electing to remain in his home country for at least the next two seasons. Team president David Kahn and coach Kurt Rambis visited Rubio in Spain last month and have started the delicate process of forging a relationship with him while he plays for another team. "Very important," Kahn said on Friday. "He is a Minnesota Timberwolf in certain ways. He's part of us, and yet he's not on the team yet. I want him to feel as if there's no reason for us to delay the opportunity for him to start following us, being integrated, learning us and feeling comfortable with us." http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=5303579
