The NBA have announced that every team must have a licensed mental health professional as part of their staff for the upcoming 2019-2020 season. The reason for such a thing comes from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver listening to several players who have dealt with their own struggles with mental health, among them being DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love.
Mental health has been a glaring issue in today’s current events. From veterans returning back from war and dealing with PTSD to everyday people trying to cope with stress and anxiety, mental health weighs heavy on all of us, and doesn’t exempt anyone from its sights, not even athletes. Many people may not know it, but athletes suffer with mental health, trying their hardest to put on a brave face, while internally battling with their ailment.
For the NBA, this is a step in the right direction to helping their athletes in trying to overcome mental illness. If anything, leagues such as MLB, NHL, and especially the NFL need to look into having a licensed mental health professional to work with their players. It could help save an athlete from taking their own life.
The Heat Check Magazine 