NBA champion J. R. Smith spoke candidly about dealing with depression even at the height of his success despite achieving massive wealth, fame, and two championships.
During a recent appearance on The Pivot Podcast, Smith reflected on his long battle with mental health and the misconceptions people often have about success and happiness. According to Smith, many assume that professional athletes who earn millions of dollars have everything they need to live fulfilling lives. However, the former NBA star said that assumption couldn’t be further from the truth.
“I don’t get to spend the time I want with my kids. I don’t get to live the life that I wanna live, or I feel like I should live, where I’m at in this stage of my life. I don’t have the perfect relationship at home. I don’t have a lot of things that people assume that I got,” Smith opened up in the recent episode of “The Pivot Podcast.”
Smith also revealed the extent to which depression impacted his basketball career.
“I went through things with my mental health consistently long enough to where I feel like I probably played 70% of my career depressed,” he said. “Like that’s crazy to think about. That’s nuts.”
The former guard, who played 16 NBA seasons and won championships with the Cleveland Cavaliers, said that
many people fail to recognize that depression can affect anyone, regardless of status or financial standing. His comments echo remarks he made in previous years, when he acknowledged experiencing a “very depressed state” during portions of his career and after stepping away from the game, reports ESPN.For Smith, the conversation is about challenging the belief that money solves every problem. His story serves as a reminder that mental health struggles can exist even when outward success suggests otherwise.
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