By Cesare Milanti / info@eurohoops.net
After a successful 12-season career in the NBA, Ricky Rubio officially announced his retirement from the best professional basketball league in the world, parting ways with the Cleveland Cavaliers, his last team in the United States of America.
Starting from Joventut Badalona in Spain in 2005 at 14 years of age, he then moved to Barcelona before moving to the NBA. There, he played for Minnesota, Utah, Cleveland, and Phoenix. With the Suns, he shared the locker room with Devin Booker, who touched on his friend’s decision.
“I can be up here all day”, he first answered when asked about Ricky Rubio. “Even though it was just one year, he was so impactful for my career. His veteran leadership, his IQ, his approach. He’s somebody who will always check in on you, whether he was on the team or even when he left too”, he said about one of the most important teammates since the start of his career.
Devin Booker then added respectful words about the Spanish playmaker. “An amazing career, somebody who we’ve all been following since he was 15-16 years old in Spain, he’s gained respect from everybody over here. Great career, I wish he played longer but everybody makes their decision. I’ll miss him on the floor, but he’s a friend forever”, the 27-year-old guard commented.
During their 2019-20 season together in Phoenix, they created a deadly backcourt duo. In 65 games, Ricky Rubio had 13.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 8.8 assists per game, while Devin Booker had 26.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, shooting 91.9% at the line.
Here’s Devin Booker’s full comments on Ricky Rubio’s decision to retire. Pretty good sense of how much he meant to Book on and off the court after just one year together: pic.twitter.com/rpayirSYSr
— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) January 6, 2024
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images