By Alex Madrid/ info@eurohoops.net
After departing from the Oklahoma City Thunder and the NBA due to his mental health, Alex Abrines joined FC Barcelona. He was not able to travel with his teammates for a large chunk of the 2018-19 season. The 26-year-old Spaniard addressed the matter through Basket en Movistar+ discussing how Russell Westbrook stood by his side and the impact of the issue on his career.
“He’s a very nice guy. He helped me a lot especially in the first year” he mentioned referring to Westbrook, “In most of our trips we did something together, watch a movie, have dinner. When I went through all this and did not travel with the team, he kept in touch. He asked me to meet him for dinner. He cared for the person beyond the player. He calmly told me what I should do noting that he would support me if I decided to leave.”
“Athletes are normal people, but are pressured above average. Medication helps, but at the end of the day you must seek professional aid, discuss with friends and family, move forward with their support” adds Abrines on his illness, “It is a different kind of pain. Physical pain is something you can see and feel. Mental pain can not be observed and can not be treated like an injured knee for example. If you don’t go through something similar, you can’t realize it. In the end of the day, money is not above everything. Until it happens, you don’t realize that you don’t give a shit about money.”