Tyrell Terry, who was drafted 31st overall in the 2o20 NBA Draft, announced Thursday that he will be retiring from professional basketball at 22 years old.
Terry posted a heartfelt message to his Instagram page declaring that he is stepping away from the game due to anxiety that the sport has given him.
“While I have achieved amazing accomplishments, created unforgettable memories, and made lifelong friends … I’ve also experienced the darkest times of my life. To the point where instead of building me up, it began to destroy me.”
Terry mentioned in his post that he has dealt with intrusive thoughts and has woken up feeling nauseous because of the stress the game has caused him.
The Stanford standout added, “I can’t continue this fight any longer for something I have fallen out of love with.”
22-year-old Tyrell Terry announced his retirement on IG.
He was the Dallas Mavs’ 31st pick in the 2020 NBA Draft pic.twitter.com/FGFATuNwKj
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) December 15, 2022
Terry played in just thirteen games during his short NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks and also the Memphis Grizzlies. He primarily played in the G-League as a member of the Memphis Hustle, where he averaged 13.2 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Playing in the NBA seems like a dream job for a lot of people, but if you’re not happy, what good is it? (RELATED: REPORT: Late NIL Payments, Unkept Promises And Outright Jealousy Are Causing Massive Problems In College Basketball)
I hope Terry finds happiness in his life now that basketball is on the back burner. His vulnerability and honesty about his mental health struggles may just be a beacon of light and hope for somebody else who is struggling too. I believe it takes a true man to admit that they’re struggling with intrusive thinking.
I wish nothing but the best for Terry and I hope he starts feeling like himself again soon.