The 2003 NBA Draft is looked back upon as one of the most historically loaded draft classes that was headlined by the likes of LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwyane Wade.
However, it also consisted of some players that fell well short of the expectations that were laid before them. One of which was Michael Sweetney, who was the ninth overall pick by the New York Knicks in that draft. The former Georgetown product saw his career quickly went south after four seasons.
During a recent interview with Alex Kennedy of Hoops Hype, Sweetney spoke out about his personal difficulties with depression and thoughts out suicide to which he now speaks publicly to children about its downfalls and how to deal with the situation.
“I left the NBA in 2007, so around 2008 is when things got really bad and my wife told me that I really needed to get some help. It was to the point that I had moved out of my house, left my family and I was sleeping in parks or cars,” Sweetney said. “I felt like a failure. I just didn’t want to be around anybody and I felt terrible. Then, in 2009, that’s when I got to a point where things started heading in a better direction. I knew I had to pull myself out of that and get myself together. It took some time, but my family and friends had my back and helped me get through those really tough times.”
These days, Sweetney speaks to children who are battling some of the same issues he faced. He uses his story as an example, proving that it is possible to dig yourself out of that deep hole and get to a point where you’re truly happy again. Soon, Sweetney is even starting his own foundation in an effort to reach more children and families with his positive message.
“I speak at schools and I mainly work with kids who have battled depression or are in suicide prevention,” Sweetney said. “I’m actually in the process of starting my own foundation. I have some great people around me who are helping me out, including Linda Diaz. She has a non-profit called Lauren’s Law. Her daughter committed suicide and now she tries to help children and families so that they don’t have to deal with the pain she dealt with. People don’t realize just how many children commit suicide; this is a really serious problem. I just want to give back to the community and tell kids my story. You know, ‘Hey, I was the ninth pick in the NBA draft – the same class as LeBron James and Dwyane Wade – and people looked at me as being a potential All-Star and whatnot. I didn’t live up to that, and a big part of that was because of my depression. I kept digging my hole deeper.’“ I just really wanted to make my story into a positive.
Depression is quite a serious issue that millions of people deal with on a daily basis that goes well beyond financial status. It's something that can affect anyone regardless of their upbringing. Sweetney saw his come about after he failed to live up to the sweltering level of expectations around him heading into the NBA.
Sweetney fell well short of meeting those lofty goals, which led to him potentially putting his life in danger. However, he was able to get past it and get to a mental place where he can now help others avoid falling into that path.
He may not have become an NBA star like he had hoped, but now he's helping out society in a much larger way with a serious issue. The 34-year-old is now living a stable life with a wife and three kids along with a great support group of friends and family.
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