Latest news with #RickyRubio
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"I don't want to go on. Not with basketball, but with life" — Ricky Rubio opens up about his battle with depression
"I don't want to go on. Not with basketball, but with life" — Ricky Rubio opens up about his battle with depression originally appeared on Basketball Network. When you make your debut at 14 years old in Spain's ACB League, which is considered the second-best league in Europe after the EuroLeague, it's clear what kind of expectations are put on you for the rest of your career. That was the exact fate of Ricky Rubio on October 15, 2005, wearing the Joventut jersey. Advertisement Six years later, Rubio would end up on the Minnesota Timberwolves, drafted as the fifth pick of the first round, ahead of Stephen Curry. Already in his rookie season, he showed signs of his enormous talent, averaging 10.6 points, 8.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game. Long story short, Rubio stayed in the NBA for 13 years. He never fully reached his potential, and when his mother passed away, he fell into a battle with depression. Everything started going downhill for the Spaniard from that point on. "One night I was in the hotel room, and I just said I don't want to go on. Not with basketball, but with life," Rubio said. "There were some moments when everything around me was just creating a burden, when I thought that my life had no meaning. When I reflect on my career I'm never satisfied, because it was never enough. I wasn't ecstatic when I would receive an award, I would say to myself that I'm fake, that I don't deserve this." His smile disappeared and so did the magic in his game After a break from basketball because of depression, Rubio returned to his native region of Catalonia in Spain, putting on the jersey of his former club, Barcelona. However, it was clear that only a shadow remained of the kid whose flashy passes once got NBA fans out of their seats. Along with the depression, his youthful smile disappeared—and so did the magic in his game. Advertisement Unfortunately, Rubio will be remembered as a player who didn't fulfill his full potential, but only because great things were expected of him throughout his career. Still, the guy won bronze and silver medals at the Olympics, played 13 seasons at the highest level, and won titles in Europe—a career that many would dream to have. Rubio touched the highest peak and the lowest low At 17, he was so full of confidence that he even talked smack to Kobe. During a casual conversation between Kobe Bryant, Ricky Rubio and Pau Gasol, the topic of the upcoming London Olympics came up. Gasol and Rubio confirmed they'd be playing, and Rubio, smiling, turned to Bryant. "You know you're getting the silver medal, right?" Kobe, known for his competitive spirit, replied immediately: "I'm taking bets! If I win, I get the keys to Barcelona." Rubio didn't back down: "I'll bet whatever you want." Bryant, without flinching, simply said: "Deal!" Advertisement Let's remember him like that — fearless, playful, yet talented. Expectations at the highest level aren't the same for everyone, and we all need to learn that when we feel mad or frustrated about the success or failure of our favorite players. Rubio touched the highest peak and the lowest low, but he managed to find his way back. While basketball fans can no longer enjoy his magic on the court, they can be happy that he won the greatest battle of his life. Related: 'L.A., it's alright, yeah? But trust me.' — Ricky Rubio realized what Kevin Garnett told him about Minnesota was true This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
"I never fell in love with the U.S. culture, the NBA has become a business" - Ricky Rubio shares why he was disappointed in the NBA
"I never fell in love with the U.S. culture, the NBA has become a business" - Ricky Rubio shares why he was disappointed in the NBA originally appeared on Basketball Network. Ricky Rubio's rise to stardom had its roots in humble beginnings, launching when he made his professional debut for Joventut in Spain's ACB League, just before turning 15. Advertisement By the age of 19, he was already the starting point guard for a national team featuring Pau and Marc Gasol, stepping in for Jose Calderon. At the same time, he was preparing for the NBA, having been selected fifth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Minnesota Timberwolves, picked ahead of Stephen Curry. Things were going fast for Rubio, to say the least. In an interview for Spanish Lo de Evole, Rubio opened up about that period of his career and how difficult it truly was for him. "Did I really want this? I think I did. But the question is how much of it came from pressure," he said. "As a kid, I dreamed of playing my entire career for Joventut. I would have played 15 minutes from home, surrounded by friends — that's what I gave up for the NBA. Sure, my career was great, but maybe I would've been happier as a person." "In Minnesota, I lived with my best friend. One night we went out to dinner and I didn't say a single word for an hour, because I was thinking about a loss. That's something I regret. I didn't make friends, just teammates," the Spanish playmaker added. "Because of my personality, it's hard for me to open up... Convos in the locker room, 'What kind of car do you drive?'—they meant nothing to me. That doesn't make you a better person." Advertisement "I was a star in Minneapolis; it was the early days of YouTube, which helped. I had to create a persona, even though I didn't want to. I never fell in love with U.S. culture, but the NBA became a show and a business. The love for basketball has been lost, and that's spreading to Europe. What do I carry from the U.S.? A list of things I would never do," Rubio continued. Ricky was affected by the business side of the league It's clear the harsh business side of the NBA left a deep mark on someone so young. He was far from home, unprepared for what was coming — not just on the court, but in life. His career started strong as he flirted with a double-double average as a rookie and was widely seen as one of the most entertaining and impactful players on both ends of the court. Advertisement Still, somewhere along the way, his trajectory slowed down. Far from a failed career, but ever since he stepped onto a professional court at 14, the burden on his shoulders had been immense. Eventually, after 13 years in the league, Rubio snapped, announcing a temporary break from the game due to depression. "One night, I was in the hotel room, and I just said I don't want to go on. Not with basketball, but with life," Rubio admitted. Related: "Because making all this money on these kids and not educating them is a travesty" - When Charles Barkley slammed the NCAA's $11B industry for failing student-athletes The NBA world represented everything he never wanted to be It's clear that at a crucial time, when he was transitioning from a boy to a man, the behavior of some older teammates left a lasting negative impression that deeply affected his mental state. Advertisement As Rubio himself best described, he grew up in a humble household with strong values. In his eyes, the NBA world represented everything he had never wanted to become. That disconnect ultimately echoed in his performances. Rubio seems to have won the most important battle — the one off the court, but we never quite got to see the full potential of the gifted floor general on the court. Related: Rick Fox explains why Kobe never hung out with other teammates: "He was on a course and any minute or day wasted doing something else was going to slow him down getting to that point" This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jul 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Veteran Ricky Rubio Admits Facing Suicidal Thoughts And Symptoms Of Imposter Syndrome
NBA Veteran Ricky Rubio Admits Facing Suicidal Thoughts And Symptoms Of Imposter Syndrome originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Ricky Rubio had a long, respectable career in the NBA, where he spent 13 seasons, across 4 teams as a playmaking point guard. He announced his retirement in the middle of the 2023-24 season, a few months after taking a break from the Cavaliers for his mental health and eventually agreeing to a contract buyout. Advertisement Rubio recently appeared in an interview for the Spanish show, Lo de Evolve, where he discussed his mental health during the 2023 World Cup. [Quotes translated to English from Spanish] "Just a very difficult thought, and I don't want to magnify it, but one of the nights I was at the hotel, I said 'I don't want to go on'. Not just with basketball, but with life. I have a family, I have a son, but I felt that way for a second," "There were some moments when everything around me was just creating a burden, when I thought that my life had no sense." In a specific example of such moments, Rubio spoke about the 2019 World Cup as well, where he won the MVP award for Spain. He admitted showing symptoms of impostor syndrome, i.e., the psychological pattern where an individual seems to feel undeserving of their success. Advertisement "When I reflect on my career, I'm never satisfied, because it was never enough. I wasn't ecstatic when I would receive an award, I would say to myself that I'm fake, that I don't deserve this." Selected ahead of the likes of Stephen Curry and DeMar DeRozan, Rubio was pegged to have a long-successful NBA career as he started his professional journey at a young age of 14 in the Spanish League. After being drafted 5th in 2009, he eventually made his NBA debut with the Timberwolves in 2012. Unfortunately, things did not go his way much after his rookie season, where he made the All-Rookie First Team but never saw any individual or team success beyond the first round of the NBA Playoffs. He finished his NBA career averaging 10.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. During his NBA career, he once opened up to the media about his troubles sleeping and got some noteworthy advice from a veteran opponent during an NBA game. Advertisement "I remember in my third or fourth year in the NBA that I was having a hard time. I was on a bad streak, and there's a journalist who's interviewing me, and I'm opening up a little bit. I find it hard to sleep, I'm feeling bad... And I'm in a game, in a free throw, and a veteran player from the rival team tells me, 'I'm going to give you advice, don't reveal any weak points of yours to the press because they're going to come after you. We're all sharks here, and when we smell blood, we'll get you." Rubio had a lot of expectations riding on his shoulders early. But, unfortunately, his career was plagued with injuries that never let him maximize his true potential. He tore his left ACL twice, once in 2012 and then in 2021. He suffered multiple ankle and hip issues in his career that eventually forced him to be sidelined a lot. Rubio played more than 70 games in a regular season only four times in his career. Rubio's experience tells us how ruthless life can be even for a top-tier professional athlete despite earning millions. Related: Chris Paul Announces He Will Retire After The 2025-26 NBA Season This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jul 6, 2025, where it first appeared.
Time of India
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
NBA veteran Ricky Rubio reveals suicidal thoughts and imposter syndrome during peak of career
Ricky Rubio, a 13-year-old veteran known for his quiet presence on the field, has revealed a painful truth that fans never saw. In a recent Spanish interview, the former point guard admitted to having suicidal thoughts and fights against Imposter syndrome even during their proudest career moments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Behind the cheers and bright lights, Rubio's inner battle paints a shocking picture of silent suffering, reminding everyone how hidden mental health struggles can be even for champions. Ricky Rubio shares how he struggled during the 2023 World Cup In a recent interview on a Spanish show called Lo de Evolve, Ricky Rubio spoke about what he went through in 2023. He said one night during the World Cup, he felt like giving up on everything. 'I didn't want to go on,' he said. 'Not just with basketball, but with life.' Rubio explained that everything felt heavy. He said it was difficult to find meaning in anything. At that time he had taken a break from playing with the Cleveland Cavaliers. Later that season, he resigned from the NBA. He said he had to go away to take care of his mental health. Ricky Rubio says he felt like a fraud even when he won big Rubio also talked about the 2019 World Cup. He helped Spain win and was named MVP. But even then, he didn't feel proud. He said, 'I would get an award and think, 'I don't deserve this.' Rubio started playing pro basketball in Spain when he was just 14. He entered the NBA in 2012 with the Minnesota Timberwolves. He also played for the Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, and Cleveland Cavaliers. NBA veteran Ricky Rubio reveals suicidal thoughts and imposter syndrome during peak of career (Image Source: Getty Images) He had two serious knee injuries, one in 2012 and another in 2021. He also dealt with ankle and hip problems for years. These injuries kept him from playing full seasons. Early in his NBA career, he once told a reporter that he was having trouble sleeping. After that, an older player from another team warned him: 'Don't tell the media your weak spots. We're all sharks. If we smell blood, we'll go after you.' Also Read: Rubio ended his career with good stats: 10.8 points, 7.4 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. But now we know, behind those numbers, was a man who was hurting inside.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Karl-Anthony Towns' message for Ricky Rubio after guard's cryptic post
The post Karl-Anthony Towns' message for Ricky Rubio after guard's cryptic post appeared first on ClutchPoints. Last season, Ricky Rubio stepped away from basketball and said that his NBA career would be over after 12 seasons as he addressed his mental health issues. He then returned to action with Barcelona in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and with the Spanish national team in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers. Since then, he had been pretty much quiet on social media, but he recently shared a cryptic message about his career. Advertisement 'I took this year to reflect on my career and my life, and I've realized that if I've gotten to where I am today, it's not because of the assists I've given, but because of the assists I've received,' Rubio wrote on X, formerly Twitter. 'This isn't a goodbye, it's a thank you to all the people who have helped me along the way.' This message led many people to probably think that Rubio was done playing for good, and it caught Karl-Anthony Towns off guard because he had a message for him on Instagram. 'Incredible journey [Ricky Rubio] Enjoy this next chapter,' Towns wrote on his story. Towns and Rubio played with each other on the Minnesota Timberwolves back in the day. Is Ricky Rubio retiring? Though Rubio posted that initial message of thanking everybody in his career, he circled back and gave clarity on what he was trying to say. Advertisement 'This is something I'd like to make clear. This isn't a farewell,' Rubio said. 'It's simply a thank you. It comes from my year of reflection, and I wanted to do something that's rarely done: to thank those who have been or are important to you. But it has no other message. 'I don't know yet what will happen with my career. That should be the next thing to think about. This is something that came to mind now, and I want to convey it now that I'm back professionally, although I'm forced to stop due to health issues.' Rubio returned to European basketball in 2024 for the first time since 2011, as he joined Barcelona in February to focus on his mental health. He parted ways with the club at the end of the season. During the 2023–24 season, he averaged 17 minutes, 4.7 points, 4.3 assists, and 3.2 rebounds. With his clarifying message, it looks like Rubio is not sending his farewells and is leaving the door open. Advertisement 'I might play again – why not? – or I might not, and that wouldn't be a bad idea either. It's something I'd like to consider in the near future,' Rubio said. Related: Knicks rumors: 1 free agent who likely won't return Related: How Giannis Antetokounmpo trade could upend Knicks roster, change trajectory
