Seven-time NBA All-Star Joe Johnson has been killing it in the BIG3 this season. The 38-year-old was recently awarded with the MVP award for pretty much blowing away the competition in his debut campaign.

Speaking to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, Johnson opened up about how his stint in the BIG3 has been somewhat therapeutic for him following the tragic death of his mother earlier this year:

“I use it as therapy,” Johnson told The Undefeated. “My mom passed away in February, and being an only child, it was tough on me, so I just needed something to do to keep me busy. And the BIG3 was it.”

Losing a loved one is never easy, and Johnson took the passing of his beloved mother hard. Fortunately for him, he was given an opportunity to return to one of his true loves: basketball. The sport has helped him cope with the tragedy and has offered up a distraction away from his grief.

Johnson went on to share how his mother battled with health issues last season, which is the very reason why the former All-NBA swingman opted to sit out the entire year:

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“My mom was sick the whole time [in the 2017-18 season],” Johnson said. “It was not even possible for me to play even if teams were calling. With her being that sick, I spent a lot of time in Little Rock last year.”

It's great how Johnson appears to have bounced back from one of the most depressing episodes in his life. Recently, there have been rumors of a potential return to the NBA for the former 10th overall pick, so it appears Johnson is successfully moving on.