2024-01-04 23:40:17
The Spanish playmaker of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Ricky Rubio, suffering from mental health problems which kept him away from the field this season, announced this Thursday that he was leaving the NBA, after twelve years spent on the courts of the big league American.
Aged 33, the player, previously with the Minnesota, Utah and Phoenix franchises, made his decision official on X (formerly Twitter).
He had already announced on August 5 that he was putting his career on hold to focus on his mental health and has not played since. His contract has just been terminated.
“My mind has sunk into darkness”
“July 30 was one of the most difficult evenings of my life. My mind sank into darkness,” he explains in his message broadcast Thursday. “I knew I was going in this direction, but I never thought that I wasn’t in control of the situation. The next day, I decided to stop my professional career. »
“I wanted to send you this message today because my career in the NBA is over,” adds the former Barcelona player, recruited from the 2011-2012 season by the Minnesota Wolves.
“One day, when the time is right, I would like to share all my experience with all of you so that I can help other people who are going through similar situations. Until then, I would like to keep it a secret out of respect for my family and for myself, because I am still working on my mental health,” continues Rubio, who however says he is “much better”.
Rubio was a pillar of the Spanish team, crowned world champion in 2019, silver medalist at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and bronze in Rio in 2016.
During his NBA career, Rubio averaged 10.8 points and 7.4 assists per game.
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