[Link here](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/19/sports/basketball/tyrell-terry-basketball-mental-health.html?smid=re-share), unfortunately it may be behind a paywall for a lot of people so I’ll try to re-hash the relevant details
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* Terry does not think he was ready to go into the NBA after one year at Stanford, but he was told he would not be guaranteed as many shot attempts once Ziaire Williams arrived.
* As a Maverick, living alone in Dallas during a pandemic, Terry would often leave practice immediately after it ended and no veteran took him under his wing.
* Terry reached out to the team psychiatrist and was prescribed anti-anxiety meds, but ultimately lost trust in the psychiatrist when he was asked to give a timetable for his return to practice.
* The Dallas Mavericks did not comment on the story, saying it was Terry’s story to tell.
* After retiring from basketball, Terry returned to Stanford where he is now working on finishing his degree.
The article also had more details on his upbringing and family life which were less Mavs-specific, but are still important for understanding his whole story.
by breadfjord
9 Comments
I don’t understand why he wasn’t practicing.
Terry not being ready for the NBA was issue #1. I am not sure why he thought he wasn’t good enough to get shots playing next to ZW yet thought he was good enough to play in the NBA. It seems like his thought process there was extremely misguided. There is a ton to criticize the Mavs about regarding a myriad of on the court and off the court issues, but I don’t find the way they handled TT particularly alarming. That said, I hope he finds peace of mind in whatever he does post basketball.
Read this. Been wondering for years what the hell was wrong. Feel for the guy.
Some people just arent mentally ready for the NBA hurdle, you have to be mentally strong to move to a different city to live all by yourself when you are young. Luka went to live at Madrid by himself when he was like 14 and was very though for him.
Covid definitely made things even tougher for the rookies, and it could’ve very well been the last straw that made the NBA experience too much for Terry — it’s really too bad.
We underestimate just how much anxiety and pressure those children who aren’t already locked in lottery picks by the time they are in High School experience before they secure a rotation spot in the NBA.
I hope Terry does well in whatever career he picks.
One very small thing here is the importance of a veteran guy that has people skills. People often mock and complain about Pinson getting a roster spot, but there was clearly a lack of a veteran presence on the locker room. Sure, we had Boban, but Bobi is more the jester, goofy, friend of everyone that is the joy of the party. We lacked that vet that would sit with the kid after some weeks and ask what was up and if everything was all right.
Sure, we are seeing this from the outside, we cannot have any idea of what happens inside the Mavs locker room, but Pinson seems exactly like this type of veteran leadership. A guy with extremely high soft skills, that can be a vocal presence and that can rally people when needed. A guy like him maybe would’ve reached out for Terry and help guide him through the grind of the league.
At least Terry is in a good place. He’s a millionaire, surely working on his mental health, the Mavs fanbase is either neutral or supportive (unlike the lame and dumb example Philly did with Simmons) and he’s actually working on his degree after he saw basketball wasn’t what he wanted. This is the best news we could’ve received from him. May he find happiness in whichever field he ends up in.
The worst draft in franchise history. Good for him for seeking the help he needs, but it’ll take years for me to get over how terrible that draft played out
“Terry does not think he was ready to go into the NBA after one year at Stanford, but he was told he would not be guaranteed as many shot attempts once Ziaire Williams arrived.”
-> Yup, that’s Terry’s decision. I think I would have made the same one to try.
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“As a Maverick, living alone in Dallas during a pandemic, Terry would often leave practice immediately after it ended and no veteran took him under his wing.”
-> You left practice immediately? Maybe that’s why no veteran took you under your wing, they didn’t even get a chance to talk to you after. Don’t blame your own social anxiety on others. Regardless, you have to compete and fight, not be hand held. Besides it was the pandemic, I think it’s ridiculous to think a Veteran would take you under his wing over Zoom or something. They’re not your psychiatrist, in fact most are probably your biggest competitors for minutes.
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“Terry reached out to the team psychiatrist and was prescribed anti-anxiety meds, but ultimately lost trust in the psychiatrist when he was asked to give a timetable for his return to practice”
-> Bro you are in no position to skip any amount of practice, you are nowhere near Ben Simmons. The psychiatrist was actually being cool with being upfront with you, the team is not your family or your parents. If you don’t give a timetable for returning to practice, you might as well as retire.
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“After retiring from basketball, Terry returned to Stanford where he is now working on finishing his degree.”
-> Yea you should retire, this is the NBA, the most competitive league in the world. People cut each other’s throats in G-League or practice games to try to lock a 10 day contract. You wanted mental health days off and no timetable on coming back? I mean if that’s who you truly are, then yea you’re not cut out for the NBA, just like a short, fat person might not be cut out. It’s irrational to have negative feelings about it though or like the NBA cheated you or something.