MADRID, 21 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Basketball player Ricky Rubio assured that he is “very excited” to return to the national team and to be able to play a game again where he left off, before taking a break of months due to a mental issue, ending his NBA career. and returned a few weeks ago to training with Barça, a team for which he will play until the end of the season.
“I'm nervous, almost like a 'rookie' again, but the truth is that I was very excited to return to the national team, which was where I left off. So I think it's like a full stop after this experience” , he acknowledged in an interview with the FEB media.
Ricky Rubio, who is gaining shape thanks to Barça's training, will make his debut if both the coach, Sergio Scariolo, and he want it in this month's 'window'. “I feel very good, incredible, the truth is that it was missed,” he acknowledged.
“The atmosphere is spectacular, and young people come with a lot of talent and also want to teach them a little bit of everything,” said the 33-year-old point guard from El Masnou.
That 'debut' will be in Zaragoza, in a qualifying match for Eurobasket 2025. “Here in Zaragoza we have already played a few times and the fans have always been dedicated to the national team, there is a lot of basketball in this city, it is an ideal place to return,” he said.
“I have not felt alone at any time, both the national team and Cleveland at the time and the world of basketball in general have been very supportive, and that has also helped me a lot in such a difficult moment,” the player said. Catalan.
“The Pre-Olympic is going to be nice, hopefully with a happy ending, but first we also have this litmus test for Eurobasket 2025, and they are two high-level rivals,” he said about Latvia, against whom they play this Thursday in Zaragoza, and Belgium, which they will face on February 25 in Charleroi.
Regarding these qualifying matches, he acknowledged that both teams have given “problems” in the past. “We will have to give our maximum to be able to come out with the victory, but also with good feelings so that this summer the process is faster than normal,” he said.