Won't get much sympathy but these pro athletes are under incredible stress. Was watching the documentary "A kid from Coney Island" the other day about Stephon Marbury, one of the most disliked NBA players ever. This dude was balling in NY at Rutgers park when he was like 10 and wowing everyone, dominating everyone. He had cameras following him from the time he entered 8th grade. His entire bloodline had bred basketball players, hoping to get out of the projects. All his brothers, his dad, uncles, everyone. That type of generational pressure isn't something most people have to deal with. You are the one to get us out of poverty, it's up to you. And this cat is like 13 or 14. They have an interview when he's in 8th grade (8th grade!) and he says playing isn't as fun as it used to be, that it's a business and it's not his thing, he just wants to play in the park. After his stint with the Knicks he moves across the world to China to play, nobody even knew. They interview him when he's 40 or so, in 2018 and he's a totally different man, like you can actually see it on screen. He's lived there almost 10 years and the stress of the media and everything else in America is a faded memory and he's literally just playing ball in the park.
Mental health is no joke. They may be superior athletes and physically they're the best at what they do, but inside they're just like anyone else, they're human and living is hard work.
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