Why is Ricky Rubio absent from Spain's squad for FIBA World Cup 2023?

Ricky Rubio made headlines when he announced that he isn't going to join the Spanish national team for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.

He isn't one of the stars in the NBA but has a massive following in Spain. He has been in professional sports since he was 15 and has led his country to victory on several ocassions.

Rubio has been excellent on the international stage, so his absence from the national roster is a big loss for Spanish fans. He was the MVP in the previous tournament (China 2019), where he led Spain to the title. It was the country's second gold medal in 12 FIBA World Cup appearances.

After not participating in Spain's friendly in the Philippines, Ricky Rubio has decided to withdraw from the national team to take care of his mental health.

Ricky Rubio had been quite transparent about his decision to leave the World Cup with the Spanish Basketball Federation (FEB). He made the announcement via the FEB:

"I have decided to stop my professional activity to take care of my mental health. I want to thank all the support I have received from the FEB to understand my decision.

"Today #Family makes more sense than ever. Thank you. I would ask that my privacy be respected in order to be able to face these moments and to be able to give more information when the time comes."

As reported by Jesus Sanchez of Marca, Rubio had been unwell since July 31. He vanished from team activities in Madrid, and his physiotherapist left the training camping. Rubio was also absent in the game against Venezuela.

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Ricky Rubio has been one of Spain's best players

Ricky Rubio with FC Barcelona in 2010

Ricky Rubio will certainly be missed at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He has won seven medals for Spain, including three gold medals.

He won the gold for his nation in the 2009 and 2011 FIBA EuroBasket championships along with the 2019 World Cup. Rubio was named the FIBA Young Player of the Year three years in a row (2007-09) and the FIBA Europe U-16 Championship MVP.

The Cleveland Cavaliers guard was named the MVP of the 2019 World Cup because of his marquee performances late on. He dropped 19 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and four steals in the semifinal double-overtime thriller against Australia.

Rubio then led his nation to victory in the gold medal game against Argentina, scoring a team-high 20 points.

He's one of the best players in the team, so replacing him will not be easy for the Spanish national team. The country is entering the World Cup ranked first in the world after overtaking USA by 1.1 points in the FIBA world rankings.

We at Sportskeeda wish Ricky Rubio all the best in his mental health journey and pray for a speedy recovery.