Ricky Rubio flirts with triple-double in Copa del Rey return after 15 years

The anticipation around Ricky Rubio‘s return to the Copa del Rey was at its peak and proved fully justified. The Joventut point guard, who hadn’t participated in the tournament since 2011 at the age of 20, came close to a historic feat during the opening game of Valencia 2026.

An impactful performance that makes history

He didn’t quite get to the triple-double, but Rubio still left his mark on Thursday’s quarterfinal. The veteran guard finished with 11 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists — a stat line that puts him right back in the Copa del Rey conversation.

The impact went beyond the numbers. Joventut was +1 in the 27 minutes Rubio played, and -12 when he sat, a swing that underscores how much control and stability he brought whenever he was on the floor.

To find a similar statistical line, we must go back to 1997. That year, during the edition held in León, Michael Anderson totaled 18 points, 11 assists and 8 rebounds with Caja San Fernando in the quarterfinals against… Joventut Badalone. The American remains the closest to a triple-double in Copa del Rey, just two rebounds shy.

Two decades later, in 2017, Luka Doncic also had his chances after recording 12 points, 10 rebounds and 7 assists against Andorra, also during a quarterfinal.

An exceptional Copa del Rey record

This marks Ricky Rubio’s sixth Copa del Rey appearance and his fourth in a Joventut (verdinegro) jersey. In just 13 career games in the competition, the 35-year-old point guard has been remarkably efficient, winning three titles and going a perfect 3-for-3 in finals.

He also continues to climb the record books, ranking ninth all-time in steals in the tournament’s final stages with 31.