AN NBA PLAYER is many things: an athlete, a performer, a brand, a star. He’s likely a millionaire and definitely in superior physical shape. He seems to have everything going for him. But he also suffers the same slings and arrows that send us mere mortals to the therapist’s couch: anxiety, depression, workplace tension. And just as these issues nibble away at our mental health when left unaddressed, they can harm players—on and off the court.
Recognizing this, the league recommended in 2018 that all its teams employ a mental-health professional. That recommendation became a rule a year later, giving rise to the NBA’s groundbreaking Mind Health program, led by Kensa Gunter, Psy.D., an Atlanta-based clinical and sports psychologist. “Players are human beings, and mental health is part of the human experience,” Gunter says.
The program, she explains, was born after NBA stars like DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love publicly shared their emotional struggles, helping destigmatize vulnerability. The teams’ mental-health and performance professionals span the landscape of mental-health care and include psychologists, psychiatrists, and more. We asked these mind coaches how they help their players face tough but common situations. Their game plans can be yours, too.
When You’re No Longer the Young Prospect
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Utah Jazz
The expert: Ronald Kimmons, Psy.D., Vice President of Player Wellness, Utah Jazz
As in many professions, the situations and expectations change and evolve for NBA players throughout their careers. You’re going to see 19-year-olds with 19-year-old problems, all the way up to a guy that might be in his 30s and is getting ready to retire, often with a lot of anxiety. Understandably, their identity is wrapped up in their profession.
To help them with the transition to what’s next, we talk a lot about not retiring from something but retiring to something. We talk about what the future might hold for them outside of the league. The same thing applies in the league, too. Of course they have to perform on the court. How can they do that when, perhaps, they’re no longer at their physical peak?
First, it’s about finding the ways they can contribute to the team. Maybe they can move into the role of a mentor to younger players. That helps flip the script from a rookie coming to take your job to something more harmonious.
Even if they might not be putting up the numbers they did when they were younger, they’re still helping the team win. That’s a hard lesson, but thankfully, easier for a veteran to understand than a rookie.
When You’re Going Through a Rough Patch
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portland trail blazers
The expert: Chantelle Green, Ph.D., Director of Mind Health and Wellness, Portland Trail Blazers
If a player is feeling sad or disappointed because they lost the game, that’s okay. But it’s important to know your happy medium,
