"Never too high, never too low" - David de Gea extends support to Ricky Rubio with warm message over mental health struggles
Ricky Rubio, the point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers organization, left fans both stunned and concerned when he announced he'd be taking a break from basketball. The news came on the heels of Rubio missing the Spanish National Team's warmup game against Venezuela on Friday.
After then departing from the team's training camp in Madrid, Rubio announced that he was stepping away to focus on his mental health. Although the hope was that he would lead the Spanish National team to another World Cup title, it sounds as though more details won't emerge until he's ready.
In a statement released through the Spanish Basketball Federation, Ricky Rubio was quoted as saying:
"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.
"Today #family makes more sense than ever. Thank you. 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."
After the news broke, famed goalkeeper David de Gea wrote a message of support to the Spanish star.
Never too high, never too low @rickyrubio9 ❤️
Ricky Rubio's return from injury last season, and how his absence will impact Team Spain
After helping lead the Spanish National Team to a 2019 FIBA World Cup title, and earning MVP honors along the way, expectations were high for Ricky Rubio. In his absence, the team is expected to bump Sergio Llull up to the starting point guard spot.
Llull, who is a veteran of the Spanish National Team, is widely considered to be one of the greatest European players to never make the jump to the NBA. While he certainly won't be able to replicate the output and vision of Rubio, the team is expected to remain competitive.
Now, the question on the minds of basketball fans is whether or not the standout guard will be ready to go come October. After tearing his ACL during the 2021-22 season, Rubio returned for 33 games last year, where he struggled to regain his form.
While playing 17.2 minutes per game, he averaged just 5.2 points per game, and 3.5 assists per game, a career low for the veteran. In addition, he shot just 25.6% from beyond the arc, his lowest average since the 2014-15 NBA season.
Although fans are eager to find out whether or not Rubio will be good to go for the NBA season, it seems as though we'll have to wait for further updates.