Former Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Ricky Rubio is back on the basketball court, as he was recently seen all smiles while practicing with the Spanish National Team. The former Cavs court general seems to be enjoying the game he love the most again after walking away from the NBA to focus on his mental health.
Rubio played for two seasons with the Cavs from the 2021-22 campaign to 2022-23. He first arrived in Cleveland via a trade from the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2021. In 2022, Cleveland sent him to the Indiana Pacers before reuniting with the Cavs in 2022 thanks to a three-year deal worth $18.44 million. However, his stint with the Cavs was cut short in January when he announced his retirement without playing a game in the same season.
Still, Rubio is a beloved member of the Cavs family and his contribution to the team will be remembered for a long time.
Over the course of his relatively short stint with the Cavs, Rubio has averaged 9.2 points, 3.1 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.1 steals through 67 games (10 starts). He also played in the NBA for the Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, and the Phoenix Suns.
While he’s no longer in the NBA, Rubio is continuing his professional basketball career in Europe, having signed with FC Barcelona in February. He is expected to make his debut for the team in March, according to Barcelona teammate Alex Abrines (h/t Basket News).
“It’s an idea in his head,” explained Abrines about Rubio’s desire to debut against Monaco. The Barca team captain also stated that Rubio will first look at his performance with the national team in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers and then decide on his EuroLeague debut.