Roger Grimau discusses potential Ricky Rubio signing, his current condition / News - Basketnews.com

Ricky Rubio, returning to professional basketball after a mental health break, impresses FC Barcelona coach Roger Grimau in his first training session, with Grimau praising Rubio's quick adaptation and physical readiness.

Credit: AFP - Scanpix Credit AFP - Scanpix

Spanish veteran guard Ricky Rubio, who took a break from professional basketball in August to prioritize his mental health, took another step in his recovery this Tuesday by participating in his first training session with FC Barcelona.

Ricard Rubio

Team:Cleveland CavaliersPosition:PGAge:33Height:193 cmWeight:86 kgBirth place:Barcelona, SpainProfileNewsStatistics

"Seeing Ricky on the court is very good news, but only and exclusively for his recovery process. I am happy as a person, and we also have to be very happy that he has chosen our club as part of his recovery process," Barca head coach Roger Grimau said of Rubio, via Mundo Deportivo.

Grimau explained that Rubio is "physically fit" and, despite it being his first day, it was as if he had been on the team for "a long time" because he is an "excellent" player.

"I had to give just a few orders because before I finish the sentence, he already knows what I want to say," the coach added.

"I know there is a lot of buzz, but inside, we try to protect ourselves and do our job. The routine with Ricky is the same, but it is a little easier because he knows the gym. We can't avoid the expectation, but the important thing is to live it normally," Grimau went on to say.

Regarding the potential signing of Rubio by Barcelona, Grimau refrained from speculating.

"We have not talked about any return, neither possible nor future," he pointed out. "We have only talked about offering the facilities and the team so that he can continue with this recovery process."

Nicolas Laprovittola, Argentinian point guard for Barcelona, echoed Grimau's sentiments, emphasizing that Rubio is currently a teammate joining in training, without a confirmed signing.

"We know it's Ricky, but he is another teammate who is joining in to practice. He hasn't signed yet. We have to let him manage his time, be calm, and be patient," Laprovittola stated.

URBONUS podcast with Marcus Foster and Errick McCollum:

Support BasketNews so we could make even better content.