Recently, Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ricky Rubio has made an announcement, sharing that he is temporarily stepping away from his basketball career due to mental health challenges.

In the NBA, Rubio is under contract with the Cavaliers for two more years, with a total value of $12.58 million. The Cavaliers received notice from Rubio and his agent regarding his decision.

The team's general manager has expressed his understanding of Rubio's choice and emphasized that they will provide full support while respecting Rubio's privacy.

At the age of 32, Ricky Rubio was the fifth overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Throughout his 12-year career, he has maintained averages of 10.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game.

Reflecting back to 2005, a young 14-week-old, nearly 11-month-old boy named Ricky Rubio, with his charming and youthful face, graced the courts of the Spanish league. At that moment, he became the youngest player ever to compete in this league.

Just a year later, during the European U16 Championships, this remarkable kid recorded an astonishing performance with 19 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists, and 11 steals. In the final, he contributed 51 points, 24 rebounds, 12 assists, and 7 steals, all while still not yet 16 years old.

He emerged as the tournament's top scorer, rebounder, assists leader, and steals leader.

Before 2016, Rubio was a consistent presence in the NBA, averaging a solid 10 points and 8 assists per game as a starting point guard.

However, the tragic loss of his beloved mother to lung cancer in May 2016 marked a turning point in Rubio's life and career.

From that moment on, he underwent a profound change in his perspective on life.

Starting in 2017, his physical appearance transformed as he let his hair grow longer and trimmed his beard less, a departure from the look his mother would have approved of during her lifetime.

Rubio openly admitted in media interviews that his mother's departure had fundamentally altered him.

He reassessed the significance of various aspects of life, including basketball itself.

Ricky Rubio's journey bears a resemblance to that of Alex Abrines, his fellow countryman, national teammate, and former Oklahoma City Thunder player.

Abrines also grappled with his inner heart, revealing in interviews that he had lost his competitive drive and even developed a sense of aversion toward basketball and all it represented. Ultimately, he decided to step away from the game in the hopes of finding himself again.

To the relief of Thunder fans and supporters, Abrines managed to overcome his personal challenges, at least from an outsider's perspective.

Approximately six months later, although he didn't return to the NBA, Abrines signed with his former home team in Spain, rekindling his connection with the basketball court, and is currently on track to rejoin the national team.

While Abrines chose to temporarily distance himself from basketball at that juncture, his supporters, including the Spanish national team and the Cavaliers, did not abandon him.

They issued statements expressing their understanding and solidarity with his struggles. If Abrines could eventually rediscover a reason to embrace basketball, there's hope that Ricky Rubio may also find his way back to the game someday.

Even if a return to basketball doesn't materialize, what's most important is that Ricky Rubio can attain the fulfillment he seeks in life.