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NBA players have been far from the only people dealing with mental health issues, as coaches and even front office personnel have some of their own.
L.A. Clippers coach Doc Rivers told ESPN's Jackie MacMullan that he underwent a personality test when he was the head coach of the Boston Celtics, one that concluded that he and the team's head of basketball operations Danny Ainge had ADHD, a result that didn't surprise the former NBA point guard.
“I think most elite players have something,” Rivers said. “I don't know for sure. They're so hyper, so overly competitive, but that's also what gives them energy and makes them go. I actually don't mind taking on ADHD guys.”
The NBA has seen no shortage of maniacally-competitive stars in the league, from Russell Westbrook to DeMarcus Cousins and Patrick Beverley, to name a few — there is just something that makes them tick.
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Legends like Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley could also be described as a little “off” in comparison to their peers, but it is that same trait that made them so extraordinary on the court and made them a reason for their teams' success.
Rivers and Ainge had a good partnership during their years together in Boston, perhaps by sharing some of the same traits and being on the same wavelength.
Despite these issues needing attention, they can also form a way to bond with others through something other than basketball — maybe making this that much more of an opportunity for league-wide acceptance of mental health issues.
