Mental health is wealth. And 2020 NBA first-round pick, Tyrell Terry, has truly taken this quote to heart. Ahead of the weekend, Terry announced his retirement from the League due to the “anxiety this sport has caused” him. It’s quite disheartening to see that even elite athletes suffer from mental health issues. Nobody is immune to the effects of anxiety or depression. While we’re saddened by his early exit from the NBA, we are happy to see that he ultimately chose himself and his well-being. .
“This message is a very difficult one to share and an emotional one to write,” Terry wrote. “Today I decided to let go of the game that has formed a large part of my identity,” the 22-year-old guard continued. He goes on to explain that his decision comes after he “experienced the darkest times” of his life.
“To the point where instead of building me up, it began to destroy me. Where I began to despise and question the value of myself, much more than those surrounding me could ever see or know,” Terry explained. “Intrusive thoughts, waking up nauseous and finding myself struggling to take normal breaths because of the rock that would sit on my chest that seemed to weigh more than I could carry. This is just a brief description of the anxiety this sport has caused me.”
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks as the 31st overall pick, Terry’s future in basketball looked bright. He had declared for the NBA draft just after his freshman season at Stanford, where he was named as part of the Pac-12 All-Freshman Team. He only played 11 games with the Mavericks in his Rookie season as he was later waived, and picked up by the Memphis Grizzlies. At the start of 2022, the Grizzlies offered Terry a two-way contract – allowing him to transition between the Grizzlies and their G League affiliate. He was waived, again, this past July.
Could the toll of not landing a permanent roster spot on a professional NBA team led him to a state of darkness and depression? Did the pressures of high-level athletic performance and expectations become to unbearable? Sadly, we will never really know and that’s the thing with mental health. One thing is for sure, in this specific case, and that’s Tyrell Terry chose himself and we hope he finds the peace he is looking for.
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