Since Ricky Rubio announced in 2023 that he was temporarily leaving basketball to take care of his mental health and, months later, confirmed that he was leaving the NBA, almost the entire Spanish basketball family pivoted in a new direction. Accustomed to living in the whirlwind of competition, the world froze upon reading that “last July 30 was one of the hardest nights of my life; my mind went to a dark place (…) the next day I decided to stop.” It was Ricky. How did his teammates not realize what was happening? Since then, everyone has tried to build an aura around him, to protect him while giving the necessary distance. Listening to them, one senses what could have happened, and above all recognizes the affection that those who have been his teammates have for him. Not long ago, scario went through ‘The ‘Locker Room’ of Relief to tell how he has experienced Ricky’s last months from the bench of the National Team. Now José Manuel Calderón, also a historic player in Spanish basketball, who coincidentally worked for the Cleveland Cavaliers, the NBA team where Ricky Rubio was when his house of cards collapsed, and experienced the situation from the inside.
You can watch here the full interview of Quique Peinado with José Manuel Calderón in ‘El Vestuario’
You live in New York, you have your job at the Cleveland Cavaliers, what is the specific name of your position there?
I am the ‘Special Advisor to the Front Office’, I am the special advisor to the general manager and the President of Operations. So in the end, for all the strategy, sometimes I do some scouting to help with some specific players. We have eight or ten scouts in Cleveland who do their work, their lists, and then I see many of them specifically to get an opinion.
Of course, you were working in Cleveland when Ricky had to stop playing. With all that, how was your role there? Because of course, I understand that it was a bit of a complicated thing.
A little bit weird, a little bit weird, but good all around. I think Cleveland, I think Ricky said it in the best way possible, which was: “Ricky, what do you need? Take your time and from there, we’ll decide.” I I spoke with Ricky many times, without getting too involved.because I think he needed it too, it was like: “Ricky, I’m here, I’m your friend here, I’m not Cleveland, whatever you tell me, if you want to tell me something that isn’t true, perfect.”I don’t have to explain that, Ricky has it perfectly and we know how it works, but in the end it was that, I think in the end it was the best option for him, like: “Whatever you need, whenever you want, tell us,” and in the end that was a bit of the relationship. I wish he had continued, because then I would see him more often and we could have dinners in Cleveland, But hey, in the end it’s happy and that’s what’s important.
How do you see him? Is he now at a point where he has to make decisions?
Well, I see it well, I see it normal, I think that many times we give it too many turns from the outside. In the end, if you go back, he had a time without basketball, another time with basketball, and Now you have to decide which of the two weighs moreHe is at that point where he doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone, he has an incredible family and he has a lot of projects too, so he has to see if these months, this experience he has had at Barça, is worth it and he really likes it and he continues again, or… hey, maybe his family pulls him back, right? I think that in this case for him, the decision he makes is to say: “Wait, I need time now, I’ve done both things, let me see.” We’ll see what decision he makes because In the end, whichever one he takes, I will be happy and delighted to be with him.
There is talk of Penya (Juventut de Badalona), I personally would be excited
Yes, apart from that it is closing a circle for him too, it can be super interesting because maybe he will be more bearable with the issue of pressure, of a lot of things. But well, let’s see, I always said from the beginning that in the end For him it is important to be at home, that is the feeling and I think he has said it.
As a person who has been away from home for so many years, although it is true that you are a person so attached to Extremadura, which is almost your favourite place to go, what is it like to live so many years away from your loved ones, your parents, who are also from a small place, from your town, from your city? What is that like, man? Because in the end, I have always thought that Ricky may have been a bit affected by so much pressure from such a young age and so many years, I don’t know if that ever gets tiring.
Yes, I think it also depends on how you go personally, it is very individual, I think there is no rule that applies to everyone. For me it has been easy, I often talk to my wife, to the children and we go to Villanueva, and you get used to it. It is also true that, withAs I know that later I might have to wait two months without seeing you or hugging you, I think there comes a time when you are anesthetized. from your house, as if it were normal, I’ve been there for so long now so it’s fine, it’s what I’m experiencing. Now it’s summer and I’m with everyone for ten days in a row and it’s incredible, I take advantage of it because I know that I might not know when the next time will be.
Ricky Rubio
Cleveland Cavaliers
2024-07-05 09:28:36
#Hey #Ricky #friend #Cleveland #Relevo
