Former NBA No.2 draft pick hails superstars for speaking out on mental health

31 July 2023 , 19:46

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Michael Beasley has become a mental health advocate after leaving the NBA. (Image: Getty Images)

Michael Beasley has publicly thanked NBA stars DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love for speaking out about their struggles with mental health, crediting them with setting a great example for younger athletes.

Beasley, the No. 2 pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, struggled throughout his career with emotions he didn't fully understand until exiting the league. He believes the openness of DeRozan and Love will help the next generation of basketball players avoid the turmoil he experienced.

DeRozan, now with the Chicago Bulls, and Love, now with the Miami Heat, have acknowledged they sought professional help for depression. They've shared their stories to help end stigmas around mental health.

"You're talking about two All-Stars, talking about two guys who made it to heights that people can only imagine, let alone players," Beasley said of the duo in an interview with FOX News Digital. "So, to see somebody that good, that strong, that lucrative, to come out and say they have something not right – I don't like to call it a problem – I think it sends a bigger message than they tried to send."

He added: "Them wanting to get help for themselves just showed the rest of the world, not just the rest of the players, that it's OK. Sometimes it's OK to cry, sometimes it's OK to be vulnerable, sometimes it's OK to not know what's going on."

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Beasley said that unaddressed depression manifested as anger during his college and NBA careers. The former Kansas State star didn't have people to discuss his difficulties with and felt team resources for mental health were inadequate.

"Mental health, especially in the Black community, was such a taboo thing," Beasley said. "We were all just taught to be tough and to get strong. So, there wasn't anything put in place in college aside from discipline, and things like that."

"As a basketball player, we know [how] to get stronger, to get quicker. We lift weights, we take the same jump shot a thousand, a million times. We do the same crossover. But there wasn't anything in place for my mind, or for our mind. And that's just as important as your jump shot or as your squats if not more."

Chicago Bulls star DeMar DeRozan has been open about his depression and helped reduce stigmas around mental health. (Getty Images)

With the help of players such as DeRozan and Love sharing their personal experiences, the NBA has taken strides in recent years to accommodate the psychological aspects of sport. Nowadays, most teams have staff members devoted to mental health.

Beasley encouraged everyone — not just basketball players — to find people to talk to about how they're doing. He's found his calling as an advocate for mental health after an 11-year NBA career in which he averaged 12.4 points per game.

"Your mental health journey doesn't have to start when something goes wrong or when something isn't right," Beasley said. "Mental health doesn't have to be a negative thing. You can literally start working on your mind now."

"I really do want to share my story, so maybe the next player doesn't have to go through it so late. If I could have realized this from day one, maybe a lot could have been different. I just want to be vulnerable for the next guy."

Dan Bernstein