Ricky Rubio , point guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, will sadly have his impressive rookie season cut short: The Timberwolves confirmed that Rubio is out for the season due to a leg injury.
The 21-year-old rookie from Spain suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during the Timberwolves’ 105-102 home loss against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. The team says that Rubio is expected to undergo surgery, but there’s no word on when the procedure will take place.
The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that during the final moments of the Timberwolves’ game against the Lakers, Rubio’s knee appeared to buckle when he was attempting to defend against Lakers guard Kobe Bryant. After planting his left foot to guard against Bryant, Rubio fell to the floor, clutching his knee.
“Obviously, Ricky’s injury is an unfortunate turn of events for him and our team,” said David Kahn, Timberwolves president of basketball operations (via USA Today). “I feel bad for Ricky having to miss the rest of this season. But Ricky is a competitor, and I am confident that he will work hard to get back on the court next year and continue his progression as one of the top point guards in our league.”
The remainder of the Timberwolves’ season isn’t the only thing Rubio will likely be missing out on, however. Recovery is expected to take anywhere between six to nine months, meaning that Rubio will miss out on the opportunity to play for Spain in the 2012 Olympics in London.