BarcelonaRicky Rubio, 32 years old, has announced that he is putting professional sports on hold indefinitely to take care of his mental health. This is what the Maresmen base explained in a joint statement with the Spanish Basketball Federation.
“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 for understanding my decision. Today #LaFamilia [en referència a la selecció espanyola de bàsquet] it makes more sense than ever. Thanks. I would ask that my privacy be respected in order to face these moments and give more information when the time is right,” reads the letter released by Rubio. For its part, the federative body has published: “The FEB wishes to express its respect , admiration and affection for Ricky Rubio. #LaFamilia will be close to the player at all times.”
The Catalan player, who belongs to the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers, was on the shortlist of coach Sergio Scariolo to play in the World Cup this summer, but he will not be on the final list to defend a championship that in 2019, with him as MVP, the combined state conquered China. This year he has played 33 games with the Cavaliers, although in a fairly secondary role, averaging 17 minutes and 5 points. This decline in performance has led to strong calls for his return to European basketball, an extreme that Rubio himself was responsible for denying a few weeks ago.
In an interview with the ARA two years ago now, the player spoke very openly about mental health related to elite sport. “There are those who think that once you have success the problems disappear. It is not like that. You can succeed in sport, but cancer can take away a family member. You can have problems at home. And this affects you when you go out to the track […] The lesson that basketball has given me has served me in life, it has made me strong when I lost my mother, when I felt sad. Ricky the athlete has helped Ricky the person. It has allowed me to take for granted that I am not a robot, that I can fail, that I can lose,” he reflected.
Debut with a very strong victory for Spain
Rubio’s statement comes the day after the Spanish national team’s opening match in preparation for the World Cup. This Friday, Scariolo’s team convincingly defeated the Venezuelan team (87-57) in a game that the Catalan baseman missed, despite being in a dynamic relationship with his teammates for days, along with Àlex Abrines, Willy Hernangómez, Sergi Llull and Rudy Fernández. The protagonist of the debut was Juancho Hernangómez with 27 points scored in the WiZink Center, which was filled with 10,000 people. The expectation with Spain stems from the success in the 2019 World Cup and last year’s Eurobasket. The state team is the opponent to beat in the planetary meeting that will be held between August 25 and September 10 between Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines.
2023-08-05 09:16:19
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