Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George made headlines of late not only because of his tremendous performance in LA's Game 5 demolition job on the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, but also because he admitted to having gone through some mental health issues during his time in the bubble. George's teammates showed their full support for George, and so did Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love, who has become the league's main advocate for mental health awareness.
Clippers forward Marcus Morris showed his support for his teammate by expressing his empathy towards George's situation.
“Being in this bubble is different, man,” Morris said, via Mirjam Swanson of The Orange County Register. “Guys are going to take it different ways, and I’m totally with him 100 percent. I understand. And being away from your family, just always going back to the room and just being in the room and only watching TV and just having no outlets is tough.
“P.G. is very open, and I’m proud of him for standing up for what he feels and what he believes and not afraid to care what anybody thinks about him.”
Clippers head coach Doc Rivers also commended George's decision to speak out, while also noting how important it is to be open about such topics:
“We all should talk about it,” Rivers said. “So I was very happy with it. There’s no difference with mental health than sprained ankles or anything like that.”
Cavs star Kevin Love took to Twitter to reach out to Paul George, as he applauded the Clippers swingman for bringing this out in the open:
@Yg_Trece stepped up in a big way last night!!
On another note, post game speaking about being in a “dark place” and underestimating the effects of mental health, depression, anxiety — is HUGE coming from a player of his caliber.
Was always a fan of PG but now even more so…
— Kevin Love (@kevinlove) August 26, 2020
George struggled in the first few games of the series against the Mavs, and his mental health struggles undeniably played a role in the same. He bounced back in a huge way in Game 5, but at this point, it would be foolish to think that he has already put this whole episode behind him. Mental illness is not something that you cure overnight, and this will be a constant battle George will be challenged with for years to come.
Follow Us
Subscribe