For DeMar DeRozan, this path toward improved mental health started with
It led to him writing a book.
Being in Sacramento isn91裸聊视频檛 the only new part of DeRozan91裸聊视频檚 story entering this NBA season. The six-time All-Star is now an author, after his book 91裸聊视频淎bove the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm91裸聊视频� was released in the offseason. It91裸聊视频檚 a continuation of the conversation he helped start six years ago when he revealed that he struggled with his mental health.
91裸聊视频淚 never would have thought I91裸聊视频檇 have did a book ever in my life,91裸聊视频� DeRozan said last month at media day with the Kings, the club he joined in the offseason after spending the last three seasons in Chicago. 91裸聊视频淭o do that, it was something new. Once I got past those jitters and you start to get, you know, the reception from the book and it was like, 91裸聊视频楧amn, you liked it?91裸聊视频� It was good. I was happy.91裸聊视频�
And happiness is the destination.
DeRozan hasn91裸聊视频檛 stopped sharing about his mental health journey in the 6 1/2 years since posting that initial tweet; fellow of the Miami Heat has also been a champion in that same space of trying to help others by revealing his own struggles.
It is no longer a secret topic, no longer unspoken, no longer scary and no longer a sign of weakness 91裸聊视频� not just around the NBA, but around most every level of sports, pro and amateur, men91裸聊视频檚 and women91裸聊视频檚, team and individual.
91裸聊视频淲hen you look at yourself in the mirror, sometimes you don91裸聊视频檛 like what you see, and that could lead to some depression or lead to some anxiety or lead to other mental health issues,91裸聊视频� Dallas guard Kyrie Irving said during last season91裸聊视频檚 NBA Finals. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 a big thing that I think our generation is spearheading, where I hope that the older generation can take a lesson out of our book, that this isn91裸聊视频檛 just some spiritual 91裸聊视频�70s type of mantras we are trying to put out here. We actually believe in what we talk about in terms of meditation and having the ability to slow your life down and making sure that you keep your priorities straight.91裸聊视频�
Irving and Love were two players that DeRozan picked out in the book as examples of those who expressed concern after the initial tweet in February 2018 at All-Star weekend. DeRozan91裸聊视频檚 agent, Aaron Goodwin, told him 91裸聊视频� in a story detailed in the book 91裸聊视频� that even the NBA office reached out to check on what the tweet meant.
Goodwin tried to prep DeRozan that the tweet could be the talk of All-Star weekend and that questions were likely coming.
91裸聊视频淭he way I saw it, all I had done was shared an honest moment 91裸聊视频� the kind of thing countless people are feeling on any given day,91裸聊视频� DeRozan wrote in the book. 91裸聊视频淣either of us realized it at the time, but it was a perspective that hadn91裸聊视频檛 been expressed by an athlete at my level on that kind of platform.91裸聊视频�
Love and Irving had taken notice, and they asked DeRozan how he was feeling when they gathered for All-Star weekend duties. DeRozan was autographing items at the time, acting unbothered by anything. But the tweet had most certainly gotten their attention.
91裸聊视频淚 wrote my tweet during a moment of vulnerability and transparency. But that moment had passed,91裸聊视频� DeRozan wrote. 91裸聊视频淣ow I was on the job, so to speak, doing my duty. So I went back to being myself, suppressing my true feelings and sweeping it all under the rug. Deep down, their worry meant a lot to me.91裸聊视频�
The author is still a player, of course. DeRozan averaged 24 points per game last season in Chicago, and even at 35 and going into his 16th NBA season 91裸聊视频� with previous stops in San Antonio and Toronto 91裸聊视频� the Kings believe he can help them make a serious jump in the Western Conference.
Sacramento landed him this summer on a three-year, $74 million deal.
91裸聊视频淲hen you91裸聊视频檝e got a guy like DeMar walking through that door,91裸聊视频� Kings coach Mike Brown said, 91裸聊视频渋t adds to the belief of everybody.91裸聊视频�
