Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love’s former teammate, none other than the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James himself, praised the Cavs star for his honesty with regard to his mental health.
As reported by Dave McMenamin of ESPN, James commended Love for admitting that he suffered panic attacks, noting that opening up was a brave move and was done not just for himself, but for those who look up to him, especially the kids.
“Kevin Love was one of my favorite guys, one of my brothers. When he acknowledged that (he has suffered panic attacks) I just told him how strong he was — not only for himself, but for other people that are going through the same issues. Not only just athletes, but a lot of kids that look up to him and maybe going through it don’t know how to express things, so I think it’s a pretty cool thing.”
Love is one of the first few athletes that has opened up about their mental health struggles. And it came at a time last season when the Cavs were struggling to stay in the win column. To recall, tense discussions occurred inside the Cavaliers locker room. Reports reveal that Love was among those targetted, criticizing him for his lack of effort. Love’s confession triggered the likes of DeMar DeRozan to admit that he, too, has suffered depression.
James, for his part, added that he’s experienced a fair share of depression growing up. He recalled the single-parent household he grew up in. When things got tough, James shared that he always had people around to talk to, may it be his uncles, friends, and mother:
“So I was always able to get things off my chest and not allow things to build up. I don’t know if that’s what causes it, but for me personally, I’ve always had people that were around that I could just, if I ever needed to talk, they was there for me and able to (listen to) whatever it was that I was going through.”
James and Love went through rough patches to start their four-year partnership in Cleveland. But all those were brushed aside as their bond became stronger where now, despite being opponents, they’re still able to convey genuine appreciation for one another.
