SALT LAKE CITY — As media gossip and rumors were spreading like wildfire near the NBA trade deadline, it was nearly impossible for Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio to escape the chatter.
Even as reports surfaced with his name linked to potential deals, the Spanish floor general tried not to let it affect his on-court production or his work in the community.
But quite naturally, he’s human, so his business team was somewhat concerned about possibly being moved to another city after planting seeds so deep in Utah with his basketball academy, foundation and continued support of Special Olympics as a global ambassador.
Even with the uncertainty, Rubio met with his close friends and business partners Josep Heredia and Lucas Charte-Garcia in the midst of the storm, to set the record straight.
“Hey guys, we’re still here and until we don’t hear anything else, we’re still here,” Rubio told his friends. “I want to engage with the community and we won’t stop doing things because of the rumors, so let’s keep doing that and we’ll figure out if we move, but we can’t stop doing that.”
To me, it’s not a surprise because I’ve known him for so long and it’s just who he is. He was doing this similar stuff and was this good of a guy back 10 years ago when I played with him when he was 19. – Joe Ingles
And that’s exactly what they did as Rubio continues to run the Ricky Rubio Academy throughout the season, most recently meeting Sunday, less than 24 hours after leading the Jazz to a 125-109 victory against Dallas on Saturday night.
Rubio put up 25 points, five assists and four rebounds on the second night of a back-to-back versus the Mavericks, then invited teammate Joe Ingles to join him at Rowland Hall Middle School to interact with 45 campers on an off day. Ten of those were also from the Special Olympics Utah program, with president and CEO D’Arcy Dixon also in attendance.
“It recharges my batteries to come here,” Rubio said of holding the academy while in season. “Of course, you see the calendar and pick the dates to where your body and mind can do it, but (I) have free days before the next game, so I think it was a great day. Coming over here and seeing all the kids, with the energy just recharges me. It’s good for me, but it’s better for us.”
In the two weeks prior to the Feb. 7 trade deadline, Rubio averaged 12.8 points, 6.3 assists and 1.6 steals, but has boosted his average to 17.8 points, 5.8 assists and 4.8 boards on 49.1 percent shooting in the four games since the trade period passed.
His off-court commitment never wavered, either. Just two days before the deadline, Rubio visited cancer patients at the Huntsman Cancer Institute and donated tickets to the Jazz-Suns game on Feb. 6, then engaged with more kids and their families during the team’s annual visit to Primary Children’s Hospital on the day of the actual deadline.
While most players could’ve allowed the business side of the NBA to affect their engagement and demeanor, Rubio did his best to hold it together.
“To me, it’s not a surprise because I’ve known him for so long and it’s just who he is. He was doing this similar stuff and was this good of a guy back 10 years ago when I played with him when he was 19,” Ingles said. “It would’ve been easy for someone to kind of shut it down and just focus on basketball, be pissed off or take it out on the franchise or the fans but that’s not him.
“I think at the end of the day, we all understand the business side of it and he’s just glad that he’s still here and hopefully for a lot longer.”
Rubio isn’t oblivious that things could change for him at the drop of a dime through a trade or free agency. In fact, he is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but his focus is trying to lead the Jazz to the playoffs for the second year in a row, while continuing to inspire others in the process.
“The community doesn’t have to fall because this business works this way,” Rubio said. “You sign a contract and you never know where you’re going to play next, but I’m committed to the community and I’m here.”
For Rubio, and those around him, it’s always been that way.
“He’s been through that since he was like 14 years old,” Heredia said. “He was a professional at 14 years old and had the pressure since then and now he’s 29, he’s grown up and he knows that he doesn’t have to be worried about all these rumors and these surroundings and knows he has to be focused on what he’s doing and a sign of that is just to keep doing that no matter what and keep planning things that he wants to do in the community no matter what.”