The 22-year-old NBA player is retiring and says the fear of playing basketball led to the “darkest times” of his life
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Tyrell Terry announced on Instagram that he is retiring from the NBA after two seasons.
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He was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
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He says fear led to dark times and caused him to stop falling in love with the sport.
NBA player Tyrell Terry has announced he is retiring from the sport, citing the anxiety caused by the sport he no longer loves.
“This message is very difficult to share and to write emotionally,” Terry wrote on Instagram. “Today I decided to let go of the game that has been a big part of my identity. Something that has guided my path since I took my first steps.”
Terry was the Dallas Mavericks’ first pick of the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft. He was a collegiate standout at Stanford.
Terry wrote that a major factor was that the sport had severely affected his mental health.
“While I’ve achieved amazing success, created unforgettable memories, and made lifelong friends… I’ve also experienced the darkest times of my life,” Terry wrote. “To the point where it started to destroy me instead of build me up.” Where I began to despise and question my worth far more than those around me could ever see or know.”
He also wrote about how the anxiety affected him physically and caused him to lose his love for the sport.
“Intrusive thoughts, waking up with nausea and difficulty breathing normally because the stone seemed to be resting on my chest and seemed to weigh more than I could carry,” Terry wrote. “This is just a brief description of the fear this sport has brought me and while I am grateful for every door it has opened for me, I can no longer continue this fight for something I have fallen in love with. “
Terry later told SI.com that he was beginning to tease the sport.
“I didn’t even really see the game as art anymore,” Terry said. “I no longer saw it as just a game or something I loved. It felt like something… I got a grudge for.”
Terry spent most of his freshman season in the NBA’s developmental League G, playing in just 11 games for the Mavs. He was released prior to the 2021-22 season and briefly signed with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Terry also told SI.com that speaking to parents of other athletes going through similar situations gave him support and encouragement.
Terry has returned to Stanford for the time being and has told SI.com he might play association football.
You can see Terry’s full statement here:
This story was originally published in December and has been updated.
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