After DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love opened up about their struggles with anxiety and depression this year, the NBA has taken a prominent position in the conversation about mental health. Fans have rallied to support DeRozan and Love, and they’ve helped many others to feel encouraged about sharing their own struggles.
In an interview with Carson Daly on The TODAY Show, which will air in full on Monday, Love shared another moment in which then-teammate LeBron James offered his support in private.
“He kind of said, ‘Hey, do you have a moment?’ He stopped me, shook my hand, looked me in my eye and said, ‘You helped a lot of people today. It’s important.’ That was super powerful for me because not only is he the best athlete in the world, the best basketball player in the world, but his influence and having my back with that was super important to me.” —Kevin Love
In March, Love took to The Players’ Tribune with an essay detailing his history of panic attacks, and stressed the importance of creating a safe environment for conversations about mental health.
Back then, LeBron was quick to stand by his teammate and show public support.
It’s uplifting to see that LeBron was also making a difference for his teammate behind the scenes, and hopefully, acts such as these can continue to pave the path for the culture surrounding mental health.
h/t The TODAY Show
