The NBA officially teams with stars DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love to promote mental health wellness
- DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love are two NBA stars who have publicly admitted to struggling with mental health issues.
- Now, they are being featured in a video from the NBA promoting awareness of mental health issues and encouraging fans to take care of their mental health and to reach out for support if needed.
On the basketball court, Toronto Raptors guard DeMar DeRozan and Cleveland Cavaliers big man Kevin Love are All-Star talents who will both be competing in the second round of this year's playoffs.
However, fame and professional success has not prevented either man from dealing with mental health struggles - struggles they are addressing in a video the NBA published online as part of a promotional effort by the league to break the stigma around mental illness.
DeRozan and Love have both spoken up about their private mental health battles at separate instances this season, but this video comes as part of a rather concerted effort on behalf of the NBA to raise awareness around mental health issues. The video even points viewers to a page on the league's official website that addresses the importance of mental health and also provides resources for visitors who may be dealing with their struggles.
It is nice to see the NBA, which like all professional sports organizations is a part of a broader hyper-masculine culture that encourages staying silent or "toughing it out" rather than opening up about mental health problems, take this step forward to discourage stigmas around mental illness.
You can check out the site here, and watch the video below.