Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love wrote a monumental piece about mental health in The Players’ Tribune earlier this year, and he says the results have been therapeutic. Love’s article about mental health helped spark a conversation in the world of professional sports. He recounted his first panic attack, which occurred back in March of this year. He was never comfortable talking about his personal issues, but now the discussion is helping him grow.
“After that, seeing the community that came forward, and the community that started because of it, beating down that stigma, having people that were willing to share their stories and talk, allowed me to be more comfortable in my own skin. It was therapeutic for me, it was very liberating, ” Love told Sports Illustrated.
Kevin Love is now eleven months and four days removed from his initial panic attack last November. Since then, various other athletes have come forward to talk about their own mental health. San Antonio Spurs guard DeMar DeRozan opened up about some depression issues shortly after the All-Star break in February. Love elaborated on DeRozan’s sentiments. Since then, various other athletes have come forward with similar problems.
The NBA is working towards making adjustments to combat the stigmas associated with mental health in the NBA. It will take a while, but it’s good to know the league is taking a step in the right direction. The Cavs are happy that Love’s mental state is continuing to improve. He’s going to have plenty of pressure on him as the team’s centerpiece this year, but the support of his teammates and coaching staff, family and other athletes will help guide him.
The Cavs will need all the cogs of their machine to mesh this year. They will play their final preseason game against the Detroit Pistons this week.
Their regular season opener will be against the Toronto Raptors on October 17. Love’s decision to speak out may change the landscape of the NBA for the better, so Cavs fans should applaud his willingness to speak out.
