By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With Ricky Rubio coming from a great game and him being one of the most prominent NBA stars in the FIBA World Cup, the Spanish guard was asked during the press conference after the game between Spain and Tunisia to comment on the absences of NBA players.
Rubio was cautious on his answer and also asked for everyone to focus on the players who are present in China: “It’s a tough question because I don’t know every case. Everyone has a different reason. You can’t judge them all the same way. That been said, of course, you want to compete, to give everything for your country, but at the same time you have to take care of yourself too. It’s either yourself or your family some times. Life is bigger than basketball, and we can’t forget that. Still, we can’t focus on the players who are not here. We have to focus on the players who are here in this tournament. The ones who are not, I bet they have a good reason for not being here”.
However, for Rubio and many European stars, the answer is always simple, and playing for your country is more than a duty. As Rubio explained, speaking about his game and what it means to play for Spain: “I had a great summer, I have a lot of confidence. I was working out physically and mentally. I am on my prime I guess. And that leads me to be one of the leaders of this team. Marc Gasol is the big guy here, but we have a good squad besides him. We have a lot of experience. Playing with the national team is always different. You are playing with your friends, you are playing for your family and for your country. It’s huge”.
Photo: FIBA Basketball