Ricky Rubio Discusses NBA Retirement, Mental Health, Injuries and More: 'I Was Lost'

Following his retirement from the NBA, former point guard Ricky Rubio has opened up about what caused him to step away from the game of basketball.

Rubio's retirement announcement earlier in January came four months after he took time away from the Cleveland Cavaliers to address his mental health. He explained to The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski that being away from his family in Spain for long periods took a massive toll on him throughout his 12-year career.

"I was lost. I didn't know who I was. I had to rebuild myself," he said. "I think eventually a lot of people have that point in their life that has to rebuild them because they have lost the focus on the purpose of their life. Luckily, I stopped it in time."

Rubio began playing professionally in the EuroLeague at the age of 16 before being drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the fifth overall pick in 2009 and making his NBA debut in 2011. In addition to Minnesota and Cleveland, he also played for the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns. He played for the Spain national team and won two Olympic medals and a FIBA World Cup title and MVP.

However, the 33-year-old spent significant time away from his wife and newborn son. He was stateside while his mother, Tona, received treatment for lung cancer, and he said he first considered retirement when she died in 2016. He was also devastated by the sudden death of Timberwolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders a year earlier, but he continued pushing forward.

"I had to perform, I had to play basketball. And that's what I'm here for. And it's something that I don't regret because things worked in a really good way for me," Rubio said. "But at the same time, I wish I would have been more honest with myself."

Rubio said he's now in a better place as he took time to truly address what he was going through. The support of his family, friends and former teammates has helped him come out of the fog.

"I know I'm not alone. So I feel like when you speak out, people relate to you," he said. "We're human beings, we go through the same things in a different context. Lean on each other, lean on who you love. It's been a tough process, I'm not going to lie."

Rubio hasn't ruled out a return to the court in Europe. While an NBA championship eluded him in his career, he developed lifelong friendships that he considers just as valuable.

"That's my championship, I'll say," Rubio said. "I'd rather be seen as a good person than a great player. At the end of the day, what people will remember is who you are and how you make them feel, not because you play good basketball or bad."