Bull Forward DeMar DeRozan has a message for everyone who is feeling alone, confused, or scared. It doesn’t matter if she’s famous or not. Or wealthy. or parent, blue collar, or other collar. DeRozan’s message is for you. For all of us.
“Remember, we’re all human,” he said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports. “We’re all going through something. All of us. So think about how you can help the next person. No matter how you feel, don’t give up. Just yourself. Don’t think that you are suffering.”
“The world may be a tough place, but no matter what, you are not alone.”
DeRozan is not only a six-time NBA All-Star; He is one of the biggest supporters of mental health advocacy in all of professional sports and has accomplished something potentially remarkable.
He’s launching a new short film digital series, “Dinners with DeMar,” featuring one-on-one conversations with fellow NBA players as well as other entertainers and celebrities.
The first season, which starts on February 20th, will start with three episodes.Each will be broadcast DeRozan’s YouTube channel. The first will feature Golden State’s Draymond Green. He was suspended 12 games for punching Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic. That came shortly after he was suspended for five games for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold.
The second episode, which will premiere on March 5th, will feature Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade. The two actually talk in DeRozan’s backyard, where Wade discusses his fatherhood and how his family has normalized therapy. The third episode will air on March 19th, and DeRozan will talk with Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard.
“When you hear about players, it’s always about basketball,” DeRozan said. “Especially when I hear about it, these players. But there’s more to it than that. They talk about their families, their dreams, and all the things that make them human. I think that’s one of the things I want to convey. When it comes to mental health, NBA players aren’t all that different from other players. ”
DeRozan explained that discussions about mental health are happening much more within the NBA than they have been lately, but more needs to happen.
“For me, coming from an urban community, once you have some level of success, society says you don’t have to worry about your mental health,” DeRozan said. “What I want people to know is that these players are human beings just like everyone else. We have emotions and we’re heartbroken.”
The series’ creator and executive producer is Brett Rapkin, who founded Podium Pictures. The 2020 documentary “The Weight of Gold” explored mental health issues in Olympic athletes and was nominated for a Sports Emmy Award.
Talking about mental health is nothing new for DeRozan. In 2018, he tweeted, “I’m done with this depression.” His single tweet sparked a broader conversation about mental health, first in his NBA and then across sports.
This depression is ruining me…
— DeMar DeRozan (@DeMar_DeRozan) February 17, 2018
“He changed a billion-dollar business,” guard Fred VanVleet said in 2020. “He almost single-handedly changed that by speaking up. And obviously a lot of people felt more comfortable, that’s what it is. So for them, it’s very important that he did that.” It’s a big thing and we can’t know the impact and we’ll never know the impact, but all I can say is the impact he had on the league, the players, the players, the coaching staff, everybody. I know. This is DeMar DeRozan and he’s going through (expletive) just like everyone else.
“I think that was huge for him. It took a lot of courage and a lot of heart to do that. And that’s something that has helped me in my personal life – being able to feel comfortable about some of those things. – and it opened my eyes, “I was able to do that to something that I was ignorant of. And I think that was special for him.”
It is no exaggeration to say that this series is groundbreaking. It’s the kind of discussion that can literally save lives. This typically happens when conversations about mental health are overshadowed and the stigma surrounding mental health is removed.
It is clear how necessary these discussions are. When Marquette University coach Shaka Smart spoke at a conference at the school on Nov. 9, he said that many of the college players he coached who went on to play in the NBA suffered from depression after entering the league. He said he was there.
“I’ve coached 13 guys who went to the NBA,” Smart said. “More than half of them experienced depression after going to the NBA. , we think it’s going to be fulfilling. But the reality is, it’s still going on.”
“Everyone has a story to tell, whether they’re in the spotlight or not. Me too, you too. All of us,” DeRozan said.
If you or someone you know needs mental health resources or support, please call, text, or chat 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org Get access to our free and confidential service 24/7.
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