Twin brothers Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris have had their share of battles with depression, rooted on their lack of trust for others after a ruthless forming years of growing up in North Philadelphia.

Having their house burn down at a young age was only the start of growing up with “two strikes against them: poor and black” as told by ESPN's Jackie MacMullan.

“We grew up where there were no white people,” Marcus said. “None. You just didn't see that in our neighborhood.

“At that time, I didn't trust any white people because I didn't know any white people. Honestly, I didn't feel like I could trust anybody — not even the people in my neighborhood, who I knew my whole life.

“We just walked out stressed all the time. I said to my brother once, ‘You know, this is no way to live.'”

The two were haunted by demons of a black-predominant community in which killing earned respect, and those who had a valuable way to make something of themselves, had to guard it with every breath in hopes to make it out.

The Morris brothers were seen together at all times, something that carried from their early days in school to attending Kansas, and eventually the NBA after being drafted by different teams after consecutive picks, but winding up together with the Phoenix Suns.

“Markieff was my lifeline,” Marcus said. “We needed each other to make it out of there. Without him, we wouldn't be having this conversation.”

“Whatever my brother was feeling,” Markieff said, “I was feeling it, too.”

That strong connection carried into the big leagues, as the twins struggled to stay together with one team didn't help their battle with depression, now unable to comfort each on the spot other despite a tight-knit bond between them.