After 12 year career, Ricky Rubio retires from NBA

Saying, "I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health," Ricky Rubio stepped away from basketball last summer, not playing in the World Cup for his native Spain and not coming to training camp with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Thursday, Rubio announced his retirement from the NBA after reportedly agreeing to a buyout with the Cavaliers.

Rubio, the No. 5 pick of the Timberwolves in 2009, went on to have a 12-year NBA career with Minnesota, Utah, Cleveland and Phoenix. He came into the league a heralded young player who stood out in the EuroLeague (where he started playing at 16) for his passing, where he drew Pete Maravich comparisons. Rubio was second in Rookie of the Year voting in 2010 (Tre Evans), and as his game matured, he went on to be a quality, high-IQ floor general point guard in the league, sought after by a lot of teams for his steady hand. He became the kind of veteran many teams wanted in their locker room, a favorite teammate of star players, and over his career averaged 10.8 points and 7.4 assists a game. He had missed much of the past couple of seasons due to surgery and recovery from a torn ACL.

Internationally, he won an Olympic silver medal with Spain in 2008 and a bronze medal in 2016, plus helped lead the golden age of Spain hoops to the 2019 World Cup title as well as the 2009 and 2011 EuroBasket championships.

Rubio may take the court again professionally in Spain, but his time in the NBA is done, a loss for fans of quality basketball.