This Thursday's meeting in Zaragoza between Spain and Latvia will benefit from particular attention. For this first qualifying match for Euro 2025, Ricky Rubio should make his return to the court, after the Spanish playmaker put his career on hold due to mental health problems.
His current feeling? “ With all this nervousness, I almost feel like I'm a rookie again », he expresses to Mundo Deportivo, taken up by BasketNews. A nervousness that can be understood. His last NBA game, with the Cavs, dates back to last April. In the FIBA context, he has not worn the Spain jersey since the Olympic quarter-final lost to the Americans, in 2021 in Tokyo, despite his 38 points.
Two years later, when he was expected at the World Cup, a competition of which he was the reigning MVP, the leader took a break and spoke for the first time of his mental concerns.
Very strong
So, nervous Ricky Rubio, who returned to training with Barcelona, but “ very excited » also, to the idea of finding his national team.
“ We have played several times here in Zaragoza and the fans have always been devoted to the national team. There's a lot of basketball in this city, so it's a great place to come back to », Appreciates the native of Catalonia.
Feeling the local fervor, a good way for him to come out of a dark period during which he says he did not feel alone. “ Everyone supported me a lot, whether within the national team, in Cleveland or, more generally, in the basketball world. It helped me a lot during this difficult time. », testifies the one who, for example, made Jorge Garbajosa cry.
This first step in the personal process should call for others. As part of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, his country is hosting one of four Olympic qualifying tournaments in Valencia in July. “ Let's hope it ends well. But first, we have this test for EuroBasket 2025, and they (Latvia and Belgium) are two top teams, who have given us problems in the past. »
For the Euro, his team will also have to face Slovakia in its group. The next qualification windows take place in November 2024, then February 2025.
