Ricky Rubio will train with Barça starting this Tuesday, in advance of the Euroleague duel that will pit the culé team against Virtus Segafredo Bologna. This was communicated by the Blaugrana club and the player himself: “The time has come to enter the final phase of my recovery,” the point guard explained in a post through his account on the social network ‘X’.
The El Masnou basketball player communicated his intentions to join the ranks of Roger Grimau’s team a week ago, as sources close to the player explain to La Vanguardia. Rubio decided on January 4 to temporarily stop his professional career due to mental health problems: he announced his retirement from the NBA and terminated his contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The Spaniard had not stopped exercising physically since he made public the decision to leave the world’s top basketball league. However, he recently resumed his work with the ball and will wear shorts again this Tuesday at the Palau Blaugrana.
After twelve seasons in the NBA, Rubio assures that he sees himself “with the desire and strength to see how I react with a ball in my hands” and has asked Barcelona to join the training discipline “without commitment.” The next step on the part of the Barcelona entity would be the registration of Ricky in the Catalan team. A situation that has not occurred until now.
Ricky Rubio suffered a torn cruciate ligament in his left knee in 2021 with the Cavaliers, in a game against the New Orleans Pelicans, which prevented him from participating in the 2022 Eurobasket under the command of Sergio Scariolo. The El Masnou point guard has not played a game since April 23, 2023, after he returned to the court in January of last year.
On the other hand, the 33-year-old player announced last August that he would leave the Spanish national team’s concentration before the last World Cup: “I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health. I want to thank all the support I have received from the FEB to understand my decision,” he said then.
After his time with the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Utah Jazz, the Phoenix Suns and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the United States, he now resumes his activity at ‘Can Barça’, where he was proclaimed champion of eight titles: two Catalan Leagues, two Super Cups, two Cups del Rey, an ACB League (2010-11) and a Euroleague (2009-10).
Ricky Rubio came to the NBA in 2011, after previously playing for Joventut de Badalona (2005-09) and for Barça (2009-11) in the ACB. The 33-year-old player will coincide in his partial return to the Palau Blaugrana with several of his former teammates who also lifted the second continental trophy in the history of the Blaugrana club.
This is the case of Roger Grimau, current Barça coach, Víctor Sada, assistant coach, and Juan Carlos Navarro, manager and general director of the culé team. Ricky Rubio played a total of 140 official matches during his time at Barça, a team he joined at just 19 years old: 84 in the ACB, 42 in the Euroleague, 6 in the Copa del Rey, 4 in the Super Cup and 4 in the Catalan League.
“Very good to all.
I wanted to inform you from these lines that the time has come to enter the final phase of my recovery.
I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks and, after many weeks working on my mind and body, I feel eager and strong to see how I react with a ball in my hands.
My next step has been to ask FC Barcelona if I could, without any commitment and without interrupting their season plans, train with them. Thank you in advance for your help and understanding with my situation.
Finally, I wanted to thank all the people who have shown me their respect and support throughout this process, as well as thank you for respecting my privacy along this path.”
