BEIJING — Spain guard Ricky Rubio is the youngest Olympic medalist in men's basketball history.

Rubio was 17 years and 308 days old Sunday when he helped Spain earn the silver medal in the Olympic men's basketball tournament.

The talented youngster played a key role in the tournament for the defending world champions, averaging 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game, both of which ranked in the top 10 entering the title game.

The 192-cm Rubio is expected to be a top-five pick in the 2009 or 2010 NBA draft, basketball insiders have said throughout the Olympic tournament.

Rubio played 28 minutes in the final, filling in for injured starter and Toronto Raptors floor leader Jose Manuel Calderon (right thigh injury). He finished with six points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and two turnovers.

Rubio currently plays for Joventut Badalona in the Spanish League.

The youngest basketball medalist of all time was China's Zheng Haixia, who was 17 years and 141 days old when her team grabbed the bronze at the 1984 Los Angeles Summer Games.