In June 2009, Brandon Jennings competed hard against other prospective point guards during an NBA pre-draft workout in Sacramento and afterward suggested at some length that missing European mystery man Ricky Rubio was nothing but "all hype."
That was 30 months ago.
"I think that was just during the moment," Jennings said Saturday. "I like to choose my words kindly now. I'm not 18 no more."
He and Rubio met on a basketball court Saturday night for the first time since they played a European league game against each other three years ago.
Jennings played Saturday for the Milwaukee Bucks, who drafted him 10th overall in that 2009 draft. Rubio made his debut for the Timberwolves, who drafted him fifth that same year and then waited two years for his arrival.
Jennings said he was "a little bit upset" back in June 2009 because he and other point guards such as Steph Curry, Jrue Holiday, Ty Lawson and Darren Collison traveled from city to city to city for predraft workouts while Rubio worked out only for the Kings and did so alone, and he still got selected higher than any of those aforementioned guards.
Now is different. Jennings said he's excited to see Rubio play. And he will, three times in 10 days.
"I think it's good for the NBA," Jennings told reporters. "It's also good for you guys, the city of Minnesota because everybody keeps saying the superstars don't want to come to the small markets. So for that, it's just another great thing. It's exciting."