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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
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