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Editor’s Note: Below is a full transcription of Ricky Rubio’s Q&A with the media after the Timberwolves’ shootaround at LifeTime Fitness Training Center on Friday. Rubio was cleared for full-contact practice this week during a check up in Vail, Colo.
How does it feel?
Ricky Rubio: It feels great. I didn’t practice yet, but I’m trying to practice. It’s been a long time.
How difficult has it been waiting?
RR: A lot. You can’t do more than they said, because if not you can get hurt. So it’s just like being patient, and it’s hard. It’s hard. It is what it is, you just have to work hard. Do what you can, and that’s it.
Do you have any kind of idea on how things are going to go over the next few days with practices?
RR: No idea. They tell me my first contact Thursday, practice with contact, so I don’t know how I’m going to feel. I don’t know if I’m going to feel great, going to feel weak, I don’t have any idea. I have it in my mind, I want to practice, I want to dunk, but I don’t think I can. (laughs)
You aimed for December and you’re pretty much right on track. How does that make you feel?
RR: It’s good, everybody was on the same track, everybody was working hard. Me, the trainers, the doctors, everybody did a great job. You just have to keep going and now it’s time to practice. As soon as I’m ready, I’m going to play.
A lot of players say they learn something by sitting out. Have you learned anything?
RR: Being patient. I learned a lot, I watched a lot of basketball. That helped me a lot. All I want to do is play.
Will tomorrow be more of a real practice for you?
RR: Yeah, I think I will practice tomorrow. I don’t know what he thinks for practice, I think tomorrow for practice with contact will be the first one.
Did you do much contact this morning?
RR: No, no. This morning was 5-on-0. Nothing with contact.
Is it nice to know there are a couple days of practice before this next road trip, and then after next Friday four days of practice as well?
RR: Yeah, it’s great timing. But all I can do is practice and see how it feels. See how it goes, and see if I’m ready.
Rick was saying that even during the 5-on-0 work you’ve done, it’s pretty clear you still have a good handle of the offense. Do you feel pretty good that way, the mental part?
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RR: Yes, that’s what I have to do. You have to learn all the plays not only in your position, but you have to know where everybody has to go. I was feeling great the first time we did 5-on-0, because I was out a long time but I was following all the plays, and it was good to go out there and play with them.
What have you learned about the team watching from the bench?
RR: A lot. You see all the players, you see all the big mistakes when you are out and that sometimes you don’t realize when you are in the court. It’s like trying to help them what I see, and now I know them even better than I knew before.
Mobility in your knee?
RR: I think it’s 100 percent, maybe one or two degrees less than the other one. But my knee, it feels good, it feels ready to go.
Can you do jumpers and move side-to-side?
RR: Yeah, I am cleared to do everything. I am doing everything, sometimes if I do too much I feel a little pain, but it’s normal because it’s no longer moving the knee. It’s all body moving for eight months until playing. So it’s normal.
Will you know a lot more after the next day or two?
RR: I think so. Right now, they say I am cleared to practice, but I haven’t practiced yet. After practice I will know more where I’m at. Right now I can practice, but I don’t know how I’m going to feel the first practice.
Do you have a timeline in your head?
RR: It depends how the practice goes. I don’t want to think about dates, because I don’t want to rush it. I want to feel like practice, nothing at all about my knee. When that time comes, I will be ready.
Will you wear a brace?
RR: I’m going to wear a sleeve, but I don’t want to wear a brace. As soon as I feel that I don’t need to wear anything, I won’t.
Does back yard wrestling count as contact (Adidas commercial)?
RR: No, it doesn’t count. It was all fake. (laughs)
Are you going to be able to take limited time and ease yourself back in?
RR: I don’t think so (laughs) but I will have to, that’s what doctors say. The first game will have to be limited minutes, so I said ‘okay.’ But one time out there, I don’t think I can handle that. It’s going to be coach’s decision to put me in the court or not.
New teammates, is that going to be something you have to adjust to?
RR: Yeah, I will have even less practice than last year. Last year we had the lockout so we only had three weeks. This year, I don’t know. Let’s see how many practices I can do with them, and see if I can pass.
Him and Kevin
RR: We do a lot of jokes, that chemistry helps the team to build and play better.
A lot of running and things leading up to this. How does your conditioning feel ?
RR: I think I feel great, but what they are saying that when you are playing basketball, it’s different. You can do whatever you want, you can run a lot, but playing the game and practicing, it’s just different. They were saying after running and sprinting and a couple things I will be exhausted, but I want to feel that.