In recent years, awareness of mental health and anxiety has increased significantly. Most of this stems from people being more vocal about the subject, especially when it comes to public figures, be it celebrities or pro athletes who are willing to share their personal stories.
Once considered taboo, it is now much better received. That said, when we talk about the NBA, Kevin Love is widely regarded as the pioneer in terms of sharing his struggles with depression and anxiety. The 2020 Orlando Bubble was another turning point, when players like Paul George and DeMar DeRozan discussed dealing with isolation and high self-doubt.
Recently, this conversation was shed light on by a rather unexpected crossover between former NBA champion and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe.
Dealing with performance anxiety
In a candid conversation with Radcliffe and host Tommy Alter on the Young Man and the Three podcast, Brown was asked whether he ever faced performance anxiety.
"Yeah, I would say that. I definitely, I think, I still do. I think anxiety is something I've, like, openly talked about for a large part of my career," replied the former Boston Celtics star, highl...