Chicago Bulls’ star DeMar DeRozan’s constant battle with depression doesn’t get the attention it truly deserves.
Advertisement
It’d seem to many that this incredible season from DeMar DeRozan came out of nowhere. But, as many experts may have told you by now, this has been a long time coming.
His subtle, yet consistent improvement while with the Raptors, before a transformation of sorts while in San Antonio has definitely helped. But, the work this man puts in every day doesn’t nearly get enough credit from the NBA community.
Why do we bring this up? Because DeRozan REALLY works. He worked while being away from family for the first time. He worked when everything else in his life was falling apart. He worked during his father, Frank’s tragic passing. And even with his mental health crumbling due to the way he was brought up, and what he had been through, he worked.
It is because of all this work that many fans today may not quite be aware of the struggle the Bulls star had to go through every day while in the NBA. But, such an inspirational story can’t fall on deaf ears, something we’re here to enforce today.
Allow us to get into the story of the boy from Compton, DeMar DeRozan.
DeMar DeRozan has battled with depression throughout his whole NBA career
It may not sound quite right at first, but it’s true.
In this video, A.M. Hoops host, Casey Kiernan explains so many lesser-known things from DeMar’s life in the NBA. How Kyle Lowry, and he use to say ‘back to reality’ to each other after every game because that’s just how terrifying their world was. How DeMar DeRozan was shaped by his childhood, and how he felt at home with one of two prominent gangs of Compton.
But, most importantly, he talks about how on February 17th, 2018, how DeMar DeRozan finally came out about his declining mental health with a tweet saying the following.
“This depression get the best of me…”
That was the depression that was bolstered by the violence he had seen growing up, especially when his best friend was shot down over a game of dice. It was the same depression that became worse when he couldn’t sleep at all, but always got up and worked his butt off.
And most tragically, it was the same depression that was later only bolstered when his father passed away from sickness not too long after he was traded by the Raptors to the Spurs.
View this post on Instagram
But even with his life falling apart, DeMar held on to hope. Through what he said on his own mental condition, he became an inspiration to other players to come forward themselves. And today, he feels freer than ever before, playing in Chicago.
We can’t express how proud we are of you, DeMar DeRozan. Your story has inspired millions, and we are certain that it will inspire at least millions more.
