Why is Ricky Rubio retiring from NBA play? Looking at Spanish prodigy's incredible basketball career

On Thursday, Ricky Rubio stunned NBA fans when he announced his retirement from the league. The news came following reports indicating that the longtime professional and the Cavaliers had agreed to a contract buyout. Leading up to the news of the buyout, Rubio had notably been absent from the team as he addressed mental health concerns.

In a statement on social media, Rubio declined to explicitly state what led to the decision to announce his retirement today after the buyout. Despite that, his message clearly states what impacted his decision. From the sounds of things, the star has continued to struggle with mental health.

Rubio has dealt with mental health troubles in the past. On July 30th, 2021, he was traded to the Cavaliers out of the blue. At the time, he was preparing for a graduation party in Tokyo. In addition, he was also preparing for the third Olympic qualifying group stage game.

At the time, he indicated in an interview with The Athletic that he was asked what another trade would mean for his family. After joining the team, he tore his ACL that same season after joining the Cavaliers.

After being traded to Indiana, he returned to Cleveland for the 2022-23 season, appearing in 33 games for the team. At the end of the season, on August 5th, 2023, Rubio put his career on hold to focus on his mental health.

Looking at Ricky Rubio's mental health break and the connection to his retirement announcement

Over the summer, Ricky Rubio was preparing to help Team Spain defend its FIBA World Cup title in the Philippines. After traveling to the team's training camp in Madrid, he was notably absent from the team's first warmup game.

Instead of things improving and the longtime veteran finding his rhythm, Rubio departed from training camp, leaving fans wondering what happened. A statement released at the time through Spanish Basketball indicated that he was going to focus on his mental health:

"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 [Spanish national] team to understand my decision."

Since then, Rubio has yet to suit up for an NBA game, leading many to wonder when or if he would return to action. On Thursday, Rubio wrote on X that he has struggled to return from the dark place he went to upon being traded on July 30th, 2021.

While there have been rumors that Rubio could play overseas in Spain, his retirement announcement notably cited Cleveland as his "last home." Given that, it sounds as though he likely doesn't have plans to resume his career overseas.