Ricky Rubio to begin training with Barcelona, returning from mental health absence

Ricky Rubio to begin training with Barcelona, returning from mental health absence

Earlier this month, 12-year NBA veteran Ricky Rubio officially announced he was retiring from the NBA. He announced in August that he was taking a leave of absence to focus on mental health. He did not suit up for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the 2023-24 season before announcing his retirement.

Rubio, 33, disclosed Monday on social media that he will begin training with Barcelona of the Liga ACB, where he played two seasons before joining the NBA, starting on Tuesday.

“After several weeks of thinking and dedicated work on both my mind and body, I see myself with the desire and strength to see how I react with a ball in my hands,” Rubio, 33, said in his social media post (via translation).

“My next step has been to ask FC Barcelona if I could, with no obligations and without interrupting their plans for the season, train with them.”

… pic.twitter.com/8TEFu2akGS

— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) January 29, 2024

He appeared in 698 career NBA games–including 603 starts–with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers.

Over his career, he averaged 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 7.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 29.6 minutes per game, shooting 38.8 percent from the floor, 32.4 percent from the 3-point line and 84.3 percent from the free-throw line. With Barcelona from 2009-11, he played in 68 career games, averaging 5.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.8 steals in 21.6 minutes per contest after playing four seasons with DKV Joventut (2005-09).

It’s good to see Rubio taking the next–and perhaps final–steps of his mental health recovery in his home country. He’s in a better place than he was before mentally, which is all you could ask for. You never know what someone else might be going through and how they might be recovering.

“I know I’m not alone. So I feel like when you speak out, people relate to you,” he said in a recent interview with NBA reporter Jon Krawcynzki of The Athletic. “We’re human beings, we go through the same things in a different context. Lean on each other, lean on who you love. It’s been a tough process, I’m not going to lie.

“I had something clouding my mind that I couldn’t get over. Now I’m doing much better with the help that I needed and building myself from inside-out instead of outside-in.”

May the best for Ricky Rubio continue as moves forth with his recovery.

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