Ricky Rubio, a Spanish former professional basketball player, achieved remarkable milestones at a young age. On October 15, 2005, at just 14 years old, he became the youngest player to participate in the Spanish Liga ACB. Shortly after, on October 24, 2006, a few days after his 16th birthday, Rubio debuted in the EuroLeague, solidifying his place among the youngest EuroLeague players. His early entry into these prestigious leagues highlights his exceptional talent and potential from a very young age.
1976: Butch Lee's Olympic Record vs. Team USA
Butch Lee previously held the scoring record against USA Team with 35 points since the 1976 Montreal Olympics.
October 1990: Birth of Ricky Rubio
Ricky Rubio was born in October 1990.
2001: Luol Deng Sets Scoring Record in FIBA Junior Tournament
In 2001, Luol Deng had set the record for most points scored in a FIBA junior tournament before Rubio broke it in 2006
October 2005: Youngest Player in Spanish Liga ACB
At the age of 14, in October 2005, Ricky Rubio became the youngest player to participate in the Spanish Liga ACB.
2005: Debut in Spanish ACB League
Ricky Rubio debuted in the Spanish ACB League in the 2005-2006 season with DKV Joventut, becoming the youngest player ever to do so.
August 2006: Rubio Leads Spain to U16 European Championship, MVP Performance
In August 2006, Ricky Rubio led Spain's U16 team to victory in the FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, where he scored an impressive 51 points in the final game against Russia and also registered two triple-doubles and a quadruple-double during the tournament. His outstanding performance earned him the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.
October 2006: EuroLeague Debut
Ricky Rubio debuted in the EuroLeague in October 2006, shortly after his 16th birthday, becoming one of the youngest EuroLeague players.
October 2006: EuroLeague Debut with Joventut
Ricky Rubio made his EuroLeague debut with Joventut in October 2006, becoming one of the youngest players in the league.
2007: Awards and Recognition
In 2007, Ricky Rubio led the Spanish ACB League in steals and won the Rising Star Award. He was also named the FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year.
2007: First Sellout Crowd Since 2007-08 Season
Rubio's regular season debut caused the first sellout crowd at Target Center since the 2007-08 season.
October 2008: 18th Birthday and Media Availability
On his 18th birthday in October 2008, media restrictions imposed by DKV Joventut and Rubio's parents were lifted. These were eased a few months earlier due to his selection for the Spanish national team for the 2008 Olympics.
2008: EuroCup Championship and ACB Best Point Guard
Ricky Rubio won the EuroCup championship with Joventut and was voted the best point guard in the Spanish ACB League in 2008. He also won the FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year award again.
2008: Mr. Europa Award
Ricky Rubio won the 2008 Mr. Europa Award.
2008: Rubio Plays in Olympic Final, Wins Silver
Ricky Rubio became the youngest player to play in an Olympic basketball final when at 17 years of age, he played against Team USA in the gold medal game of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Spain won the silver medal after losing the final to the US team 118–107.
April 2009: Declares for 2009 NBA Draft
Ricky Rubio declared for the 2009 NBA draft in April 2009.
June 2009: NBA Draft
Ricky Rubio was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves as the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NBA draft in June 2009, becoming the first player born in the 1990s to be drafted into the NBA.
June 2009: Timberwolves Acquire Draft Picks, Select Rubio
The Minnesota Timberwolves made a trade with the Washington Wizards in June 2009 to acquire draft picks, including the fifth overall pick which they used to select Ricky Rubio.
August 2009: Rubio Delays NBA Entry
In August 2009, it was reported that Ricky Rubio would not join the NBA until at least 2011.
August 2009: Joventut Trade and Contract with FC Barcelona
After initially backing out of a deal with the Timberwolves, Ricky Rubio's rights were traded to FC Barcelona by Joventut in August 2009. He signed a six-year contract with FC Barcelona shortly after.
2009: FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year
Ricky Rubio was named FIBA Europe Young Player of the Year for the third consecutive time in 2009.
2009: Barcelona Buyout and Contract
FC Barcelona bought out Ricky Rubio's contract and signed him to a six-year deal in 2009.
2009: Plays for FC Barcelona
After being drafted, Ricky Rubio played for FC Barcelona for two seasons.
2010: ACB Best Point Guard and EuroLeague Championship
In 2010, Ricky Rubio was again voted the Spanish ACB League's best point guard and won the EuroLeague championship with FC Barcelona.
2010: EuroLeague Championship with FC Barcelona
Ricky Rubio helped FC Barcelona win the EuroLeague Championship in 2010.
2010: NBA Option
Rubio's contract included an option to join the NBA after the 2010-11 season.
June 2011: Agreement with Minnesota Timberwolves
In June 2011, Ricky Rubio reached an agreement with the Minnesota Timberwolves to join the team for the 2011-12 NBA season.
December 2011: NBA Debut
Ricky Rubio made his NBA debut in December 2011, in a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
2011: Liga ACB Championship
Ricky Rubio helped FC Barcelona win the Liga ACB Championship in 2011.
2011: Joins Minnesota Timberwolves
Ricky Rubio officially joined the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2011.
2011: Planned NBA Entry
Ricky Rubio planned to enter the NBA in 2011.
February 2012: Rising Stars Challenge
Ricky Rubio and Derrick Williams were selected for the 2012 Rising Stars Challenge in February 2012.
March 2012: ACL Injury
Ricky Rubio suffered a season-ending ACL injury in March 2012.
December 2012: Return from Injury
Ricky Rubio returned from his ACL injury in December 2012, in a game against the Dallas Mavericks.
March 2013: First Career Triple-Double
Ricky Rubio recorded his first career triple-double in March 2013, in a game against the San Antonio Spurs.
November 2013: Second Career Triple-Double
Ricky Rubio achieved his second career triple-double in November 2013, against the Los Angeles Lakers.
February 2014: Career-High Assists and Franchise Record
In February 2014, Ricky Rubio achieved a career-high of 17 assists, along with 6 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals, leading the Timberwolves to a 104-91 victory over the Indiana Pacers. His 17 assists also tied the Timberwolves' franchise record.
March 2014: Triple-Double and Steals Record
In March 2014, Ricky Rubio achieved his third career triple-double with 22 points, 15 assists, and 10 rebounds in a 123-122 overtime win against the Dallas Mavericks. Later that month, he also broke Tyrone Corbin's Timberwolves season-record for steals.
October 2014: Contract Extension and Ankle Injury
In October 2014, Ricky Rubio signed a four-year, $56 million contract extension with the Timberwolves. The following month, he suffered a severe left ankle sprain during a game against the Orlando Magic, sidelining him indefinitely.
February 2015: Return from Injury and Ankle Surgery
Ricky Rubio returned to action in February 2015 after recovering from an ankle injury. He recorded 10 points and 4 assists in a 100-94 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Later in April 2015, he underwent surgery on his ankle.
March 2015: Fourth Career Triple-Double
In March 2015, Ricky Rubio recorded his fourth career triple-double with 18 points, 11 assists, and 12 rebounds in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
October 2015: Career-High Points
In October 2015, Ricky Rubio scored a then career-high 28 points in a season-opening win against the Los Angeles Lakers.
March 2016: Game-Winning Shot and 17 Assists
In March 2016, Ricky Rubio hit a game-winning three-pointer with 0.2 seconds left, securing a 99-96 victory for the Timberwolves against the Oklahoma City Thunder. This win snapped a 10-game losing streak against the Thunder. He also had 17 assists in a game against the Phoenix Suns later that month.
May 2016: Rubio's Mother Passes Away
Ricky Rubio's mother, Tona Vives, passed away in May 2016 at the age of 56.
January 2017: 17 Assists and Career High Three-Pointers
In January 2017, Ricky Rubio had his fifth career game with 17 assists in a win against the Houston Rockets. Later that month, he set a then career-high with six three-pointers in a 111-105 overtime win against the Orlando Magic.
March 2017: Triple-Double, Franchise Record Assists, and Career-High Points
In March 2017, Ricky Rubio achieved his fifth career triple-double against the San Antonio Spurs. Later that month, he broke his own franchise assist record with 19 assists in a game against the Washington Wizards. He also scored a career-high 33 points against the Lakers.
June 2017: Trade to Utah Jazz
After six seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ricky Rubio was traded to the Utah Jazz in June 2017.
June 2017: Trade to Utah Jazz
In June 2017, Ricky Rubio was traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves to the Utah Jazz in exchange for a 2018 first-round draft pick.
November 2017: Season-High 30 Points
In November 2017, while playing for the Utah Jazz, Ricky Rubio scored a season-high 30 points in a 112–103 overtime win against the Portland Trail Blazers.
February 2018: New Season-High 34 Points
Ricky Rubio set a new season-high with 34 points in February 2018 during a game against the San Antonio Spurs.
March 2018: 30 Points, Playoff Triple-Double, and Hamstring Injury
In March 2018, Rubio scored 30 points against the New Orleans Pelicans. He later recorded a triple-double in a playoff game against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the first by a Jazz player since John Stockton in 2001. He suffered a hamstring injury in Game 6, which ended his playoff run.
July 2019: Signing with Phoenix Suns
Ricky Rubio signed with the Phoenix Suns in July 2019.
July 2019: Signing with Phoenix Suns
In July 2019, Ricky Rubio signed a three-year, $51 million contract with the Phoenix Suns.
2019: Rubio Leads Spain to World Cup Gold, MVP Award
In 2019, Ricky Rubio captained Spain to a gold medal victory at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in China. He was named the tournament's MVP and also as one of the members of the All-Star Five. Rubio also got awarded as Spanish Sportsman of the Year for his accomplishments during this year.
January 2020: Rubio Welcomes First Child
Ricky Rubio's wife, Sara, gave birth to their son in January 2020.
February 2020: Near Quadruple-Double and Statistical Feat
In February 2020, Ricky Rubio put up 22 points, 11 assists, 7 steals, and 6 rebounds in a win over his former team, the Utah Jazz. This was the first time a Suns player achieved such a stat line since Kevin Johnson in 1996.
June 2020: Positive COVID-19 Test and Return to Play
In June 2020, the Phoenix Suns reported that two players tested positive for COVID-19. Later, Ricky Rubio revealed he was one of them. He rejoined the team in the NBA bubble after recovering, returning to play on July 31st.
November 2020: Traded to Oklahoma City Thunder and then Minnesota Timberwolves
In November 2020, Ricky Rubio was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and just two days later, he was traded again to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
2020: Rubio Sets Scoring Record Against Team USA in Olympics
During the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Ricky Rubio set a new record for most points scored against Team USA in an Olympic game with 38 points.
2020: Return to Minnesota Timberwolves
In 2020, Ricky Rubio returned to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
August 2021: Trade to Cleveland Cavaliers
In August 2021, Ricky Rubio was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
August 2021: Trade to Cleveland Cavaliers
In August 2021, Ricky Rubio was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
December 2021: Career-High Points, 5000th Assist and Season-Ending Injury
In late 2021, Ricky Rubio had some big career highlights including a 37-point game (with eight three-pointers) against the Knicks. He also recorded his 5000th career assist. Sadly, his season ended when he tore his left ACL on December 28th.
February 2022: Trade to Indiana Pacers
Ricky Rubio was traded to the Indiana Pacers in February 2022 while still recovering from his ACL injury. He didn't play any games for them due to the injury.
July 2022: Return to Cleveland Cavaliers
In July 2022, Ricky Rubio, still recovering from injury, signed a contract to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
January 2023: Return from Injury
In January 2023, Ricky Rubio returned to NBA action after recovering from his ACL injury, playing for the Cavaliers against the Trail Blazers.
August 2023: Break from Basketball
Ricky Rubio announced a break from basketball in August 2023 to focus on his mental health.
August 2023: Career Pause for Mental Health
Ricky Rubio announced a pause in his basketball career in August 2023 to prioritize his mental health.