Cavaliers' Ricky Rubio to Step Away from Basketball, Focus on Mental Health

The Cleveland guard had been expected to lead Spain in the FIBA World Cup.

Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio is taking an indefinite break from basketball to address his mental health, he announced Saturday morning.

Rubio, 32, made the announcement three weeks before Spain's opening game against Côte d'Ivoire in the FIBA World Cup, to be held in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia. Rubio has played for the Spanish national team since the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and was named MVP of the 2019 World Cup in China.

"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 basketball federation) to understand my decision," Rubio said in a statement posted on the Spanish basketball federation's website. "Today #LaFamilia makes more sense than ever... I would ask that my privacy be respected so that I can face these moments and be able to give more information when the time is right."

Rubio is entering his 13th NBA season, and his third with Cleveland since it acquired him from the Timberwolves in the the summer of 2021. He played in a career-low 33 games in 2023, averaging 5.2 points and 3.5 assists per game.