“I wanted to take advantage of my platform as an NBA player to bring smiles, and also to raise money for social causes.”

Spanish professional basketball player

Ricky Rubio is a Spanish professional basketball player who has played for Joventut Badalona in the Liga ACB. Born Ricard Rubio Vives, he emerged as an unusually early talent and became the youngest player ever to appear in Spain’s top league on 15 October 2005, at 14. He made his EuroLeague debut on 24 October 2006, only days after turning 16, which placed him among the youngest players ever to compete in that tournament. His reputation rests on that precocious rise through elite basketball, with a career defined by early milestones and long experience at the highest level.