Ricky Rubio aims to debut vs. Monaco / News - Basketnews.com

Ricky Rubio, who made his return to professional basketball by signing with FC Barcelona, may debut against AS Monaco on March 1.

Credit: Lluis Gene/AFP - Scanpix Credit Lluis Gene/AFP - Scanpix

A generational guard talent and experienced player, Ricky Rubio of FC Barcelona had been away from basketball after taking time off to concentrate on his mental health.

Points this season

49%83,0Points made:83,0Accuracy:48,8%Place in standings:6Record max:101Record min:64Best scorer:Jan VeselyTeamEuroLeagueStatisticsSchedule

Now, after having signed a contract with Barcelona, Rubio may debut for the team on March 1, when AS Monaco will visit the Palau Blaugrana.

Speaking to the podcast Tu diras, Barcelona team captain Alex Abrines broke the news.

"It's an idea in his head," explained Abrines about Rubio's desire to debut against Monaco. The Barca team captain also stated that Rubio will first look at his performance with the national team in the FIBA EuroBasket 2025 Qualifiers and then decide on his EuroLeague debut.

Abrines embraced this decision of Rubio: "It [the Spanish national team] is a family, and there he is surrounded by friends, not colleagues. So I understand that it is easier for him to start there," stated the sharpshooter.

In the podcast, Alex Abrines also shared his memory of the time when Rubio left the Spanish national team this summer, sharing candid details about the dialogue between the two and how Abrines encouraged Rubio to look after his own health rather than anyone else.

Ricky Rubio had retired from his NBA career early in January 2024. He had previously made his career inactive and had been working on his mental health.

In the same month, he joined the practices of his youth team, Barcelona, and eventually signed a contract with them. He has no obligation to play in official games but he might make his re-debut regardless.

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