UTAH JAZZ
Ricky Rubio Welcomes Donovan Mitchell To Cavaliers
Sep 1, 2022, 4:39 PM
Donovan Mitchell #45 and Ricky Rubio #3 of the Utah Jazz talk in the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on November 19, 2018 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Ricky Rubio welcomed former Utah Jazz teammate Donovan Mitchell to the Cleveland Cavaliers after the two teams completed a blockbuster trade Thursday.
Rubio reached out to Mitchell on Twitter in a series of posts in the immediate aftermath of the deal.
“Whats up 
@spidadmitchell,” Rubio tweeted. “Man oh man, Im excited. You gonna love Cleveland.”
… whats up 🕷 @spidadmitchell man oh man, Im excited. You gonna love Cleveland
— Ricky Rubio (@rickyrubio9) September 1, 2022
Rubio and Mitchell both joined the Jazz in the summer of 2017 and played two seasons together in Utah.
The Jazz initially traded for Rubio in hopes of enticing Gordon Hayward to resign with the team. However, left the Jazz for the Boston Celtics, freeing up space for Mitchell to become the face of the team.
Rubio and Mitchell became partners in the Jazz backcourt where the team made back-to-back postseason appearances including a stunning first-round victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder in their inaugural season together.
RICKYYYYYYYY‼️‼️ https://t.co/6Rj8Bbmm0C
— Donovan Mitchell (@spidadmitchell) September 1, 2022
Though Rubio spent just two seasons in Utah the Spanish wunderkind quickly became a fan favorite.
The guard averaged 12.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 144 games for the Jazz between 2017 and 2019.
Rubio signed with the Phoenix Suns in the summer of 2019 after the Jazz acquired guard Mike Conley in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies.
After one season in Phoenix, the Suns traded Rubio to the Oklahoma City Thunder, though he was quickly rerouted to the Minnesota Timberwolves where he began his career.
REPORT: Donovan Mitchell is going to @cavs. https://t.co/t2NKKT8trI
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) September 1, 2022
In 2021 Rubio was traded to the Cavaliers where he helped lead Cleveland to a surprisingly hot start to the season, but a torn ACL sidelined him in December for the rest of the season.
Despite their short time together Mitchell and Rubio maintained a close friendship over the last several seasons.
Mitchell’s only saved story on his Instagram page with over 3.5 million followers is of Rubio walking into the Jazz locker room when the two played together.
