Ricky Rubio mental health update: Ex-Cavs guard embraces next chapter with Barcelona after mental health break

Ricky Rubio, a former NBA player for the Cleveland Cavaliers, is ready to pen a new chapter in his life. After an announcement in January that he was retiring from the NBA, the Spanish player has decided to train with FC Barcelona Bàsquet. The Catalan club updated fans with the news on Monday.

Rubio had missed a large part of the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons due to an ACL injury. He later distanced himself from the Cavaliers to focus on his mental health. As per reports, he is in the last stage of his mental health recovery.

Ricky Rubio was born in El Masnou, a province in Barcelona, and previously had a stellar career with FC Barcelona from 2009 to 2011. Rubio played 140 games for the club and won eight different titles with the team.

During his stint with FC Barcelona, the highlights of his career were a Liga ACB, a Euro League, which was only the club's second title in history, and two Copa del Rey trophies.

In a statement that he posted on X (formerly Twitter), Rubio said he had found a replenished desire to play again.

"After several weeks of thinking and dedicated work on both my mind and body, I see myself with the desire and strength to see how I react with a ball in my hands," Rubio, 33, wrote. "My next step has been to ask FC Barcelona if I could, with no obligations and without interrupting their plans for the season, train with them."

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Rubio played 12 seasons in the NBA with four teams: Minnesota Timberwolves, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns and Cleveland Cavaliers. He averaged 10.8 points, 7.4 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 698 regular-season games.

Ricky Rubio speaks on his mental health struggles

Ricky Rubio burst out on the global stage after the gold medal match between Team USA and Spain in the 2008 Olympics. At 18, Rubio was having fun against the "Redeem Team" that had LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. The Minnesota Timberwolves eventually drafted Rubio at fifth in the first round of the 2009 NBA draft.

Rubio was 14 when he started playing basketball professionally, and since then, he hasn’t lived a life outside the spotlight. In a conversation with The Athletic, Rubio wondered if starting at such a young age took away his childhood.

Moreover, the former NBA guard also admitted that despite playing for over two decades as a professional, he always sensed a conflict inside him. Instead of trying to address the issue, Ricky Rubio said he kept a big smile on his face and never let the world know about it. Rubio said that he went to an extent where he lied to himself.

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However, when the burden became too much for Rubio to bear, he got help.

“I was lost. I didn’t know who I was. I had to rebuild myself,” Rubio told The Athletic. “I think eventually a lot of people have that point in their life that has to rebuild them because they have lost the focus on the purpose of their life. Luckily, I stopped it in time.”

Once Ricky Rubio tried to address the issue, he got support everywhere: from fans, family and former teammates.

“I know I’m not alone. So I feel like when you speak out, people relate to you,” he said. “We’re human beings, we go through the same things in a different context. Lean on each other, lean on who you love. It’s been a tough process, I’m not going to lie.”

The Spaniard said that he had previously dealt with depression but could never put a finger on the issue. He added that the little things in life had been building up inside him without him even realizing it.

The passing of his mother, the ACL injury, everything affected him, but he somehow deflected it. Ricky Rubio is not turning away from anything and is now facing and dealing with everything like a champion while he decides to get back on the court.