By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
The Spanish superstar speaks up with a personal blog titled “The Last Taboo” for Expansion, about the importance of players speaking up about their mental health.
In his entry, Gasol acknowledges the fact that the NPBA has now put solid foundations to a mental health program, which he is totally in favor of, following the stories of Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan.
Gasol writes: “Throughout the history of sports we have seen numerous examples of professionals who have been affected by mental health problems and more and more are talking openly about it. Recently, after his retirement, my friend Andrés Iniesta commented without hesitation in several interviews about the depression he suffered a few years ago, accentuated by a series of injuries and the sudden loss of his friend Dani Jarque. Fortunately, his case is a story with a happy ending because, thanks to his effort and dedication, he managed to continue with his successful sports career.
The NBPA has adopted these measures after listening to the brave stories of several players who are suffering or have suffered mental health problems such as Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan. Once again, putting the topic on the table is essential to start solving these situations.
The NBA is the competition that dedicates the most effort so that players learn to coexist with the demands of professional sports. Examples of this are the programs for rookies that are normally carried out before starting their first seasons in the professional league or the Player Assistance Plan, which includes mandatory meetings for all players in the league during each season, that help us to be aware of the different factors and dangers that will affect us throughout our careers and beyond. But, undoubtedly, this new mental health program launched by NBPA is a milestone that will mark what are the steps to follow to improve the emotional and psychological well-being of athletes in all professional competitions around the world.”