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Ricky Rubio is officially calling it a career.
The 12-year veteran point guard announced on Thursday that he is retiring from the NBA. The news came hours after ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski announced the Cleveland Cavillers and Rubio mutually agreed on a contract buyout to focus on his mental health.
Rubio took to social media with a heartfelt statement addressing his future. He mentioned that he previously took an indefinite hiatus from basketball on Jul. 30, 2023, stating that it “was one of the toughest nights of my life. My mind went to a dark place. I kind of knew I was going on that direction, but I’ve never thought I wasn’t under control of the situation.
“The next day, I decided to stop my professional career.”
Rubio stated that he hopes to one day share his story in the future to help those in a similar situation as his, and hopes for privacy in the matter, saying “out of respect for my family and myself, as I’m still working on my mental health.
“But I’m proud to say I’m doing much better and getting better every day.”
He ended his statement thanking the four teams he played throughout his NBA tenure: Minnesota, Utah, Phoenix and specifically Cleveland, the team he spent the past three seasons with.
“Special mention to Cleveland. My last home. I know the way things ended have been tough. I could never have imagined the year would develop this way, but you have an amazing organization, with Koby and JB, who have been extremely respectful and understanding of my situation and caring for me as a person.”
The 33-year-old player was the fifth player selected in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he spent the first six seasons of his career. He officially played 698 in the big league, shooting nearly 40 per cent from the field, while averaging 10.8 points per game and 7.4 assists per game.
Rubio ends his career as one of the more prolific NBA athletes to don a Spanish jersey at the international level, helping to bring his country two Olympic Medals; a Silver medal in 2008 Beijing and bronze in 2016 Rio de Janeiro.
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