Former Jazz Fan Favorite Ricky Rubio Tears ACL
Dec 29, 2021, 5:07 PM
Former Utah Jazz guard Ricky Rubio (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY – Former Utah Jazz guard and current Cleveland Cavalier Ricky Rubio will miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL.
On Wednesday, an MRI confirmed the injury after Rubio slipped to the floor during the Cavaliers 108-104 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Tuesday.
The injury occurred in the final minutes of the close road game.
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) December 29, 2021
Rubio has been a key piece in the Cavaliers’ resurgence this season playing a steadying role for the talented but young backcourt. Cleveland already lost guard Collin Sexton for the season due to a meniscus tear in his left knee.
The veteran guard was averaging 13.1 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.7 rebounds per game for the surprising 20-14 Cavaliers who currently own the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The former Jazzman had appeared in every game for the Cavaliers so far this season before the injury.
🙏🏻🙏🏻 @rickyrubio9
— Joe Ingles (@Joeingles7) December 29, 2021
Rubio spent two seasons with the Jazz between 2017-2019 where he helped lead the team to back-to-back playoff appearances including a conference semi-finals appearance in 2018.
While with the Jazz, Rubio averaged 12.9 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.1 rebounds in 145 regular season games.
Rubio endeared himself to Jazz fans with his consistent effort on the floor and innocent attitude off the court.
During the Jazz playoff run in 2018, Rubio recorded a 26 point, 11 rebound, 10 assist triple-double in the team’s 115-102 game three victory in Utah.
Rubio would miss the entire second round of the playoffs against the Houston Rockets with a hamstring injury.
End of the decade great @UtahJazz moment.
Ricky Rubio’s postseason triple-double and the Jazz upset the Oklahoma City Thunder in the first round of the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/5VKd84geqB
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) December 31, 2019
After the Jazz traded for guard Mike Conley during the summer of 2019, Rubio signed with the Phoenix Suns where he spent one season before landing with the Minnesota Timberwolves during the 2020-21 season.
Rubio is in the final year of his three-year, $51 million contract he signed with the Suns after leaving Utah. The guard will be a free agent in the summer of 2022.
