Minnesota Timberwolves Ricky Rubio Says He Wasn’t Healthy Until March

After suffering a devastating ACL injury, Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio ended up missing the first month and a half of the NBA season. And although he was medically cleared to return, Rubio himself says he wasn’t really healthy until March, five months after his return.

Rubio sat down with NBA.com and told Lang Whitaker about his return:

"ME: Last time I sat and talked with you was last summer, when you had just had surgery and you were still on crutches, still icing your leg like five times a day. How long this season did it take you to feel comfortable?RUBIO: It took me a long time, more than I thought. In the beginning I was playing, and I was ready. My knee was 100 percent, but I wasn’t. I wasn’t feeling in shape, because if you are 9, 10 months out of the game, you can do whatever, but the game speed is just different. So actually, I think it take me a while. I think the Charlotte game, the first time I scored more than 10 points, was actually the first game I feel like I was back, you know? After that I was playing pretty good. Actually, I think it was March, end of March, that I was feeling the best I felt in the NBA. And now that I’m working hard and trying to get stronger legs and all that stuff, I feel pretty good. I’m excited for next season."