It takes guts to be vulnerable in front of the world, especially for those who hold fame. But DeMar DeRozan doesn’t shy away from it despite being an elite athlete. The new Sacramento Kings player, after signing via a sign-and-trade deal for three years for $73.7 million, unveiled his autobiography Above the Noise: My Story of Chasing Calm. In a world where everyone expects athletes to be superheroes, DeRozan became the spearhead of expressing personal vulnerability to the world. In his latest work, he wanted people to be more open to their “Clark Kent side” rather than concealing it.

Sharing his thoughts on this sensitive topic during a phone interview with LA Times, the 35-year-old said, “Everybody always sees us saving the day (on the court), doing something heroic and not knowing that, at the end of the day when you take off that suit, there’s a lot of things that you carry.”

However, till a few years ago, it wasn’t easy for athletes to open up in public. DeRozan continued, “You had all your other necessities when it came to sports as far as weight training, nutritionists, film guys, workout guys. But that’s kind of where it stopped. You didn’t really have the personal infrastructure that was needed for certain players, especially young players.”

The societal norms and perception of being strong were like a symbol for them. When Simone Biles withdrew from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, parts of the sports community were not comfortable, even to this day. Yet a couple of years before that, DeMar DeRozan decided to open up in a more judgy atmosphere without any hesitation. Here’s what we know about the first confession that Deebo made to the world about his mental health struggles.

DeMar DeRozan’s faceoff with tough expectations and mental troubles, amid performance pressure and personal loss

Coming off a season averaging 24 points, 4.3 boards, and 5.3 assists, DeRozan is doing well for his age. Yet he chose to share his personal struggles, and it all started with his one tweet on 7 February 2018 at 3:06 a.m. that changed it all. Growing up in Compton, California, Deebo was haunted by the thought of emotions, as all he witnessed was pain and loss. He “never dreamed” of being the one who’ll be able to inspire a talk about a detailed and genuine conversation on mental health in the future.

DeMar DeRozan returned normally to Los Angeles during his last few months at the Raptors for the All-Star Weekend. At least physically, he seemed okay. However, when it came to inner struggles, the ocean of thoughts in his head only sparked chaos, and it was not just one particular tension.

It was a built-up pile of emotions and some of it included the pressure and obligations he had been carrying regarding family time. The desire for a break was too desperate, and the busy NBA schedule did not even allow him to meet with his daughters often. To add to the injury, Deebo was making regular cross-country visits to his ill father in Los Angeles.

The tension was soaring so high that he did not even go to Kendrick Lamar’s concert or TNT’s Kenny Smith’s All-Star party. Rather, he preferred to be lost in his thoughts in the basement for hours. At the end of the tunnel, he only wanted a good night’s sleep, though most of it had already passed. Expressing it all in just a line, he tweeted early morning on Twitter now X, “This depression get the best of me…”

But little did he know how the stereotypical community would respond to his vulnerable thought!

Repercussions post DeRozan’s confession about his mental struggles

Later the next day, when DeMar DeRozan woke up after a heavy night, he was shocked to witness the response to his admission regarding mental troubles. It caused a stir. However, for the better, it did spark a debate soon after it, as Kevin Love also made public confessions about his mental health. The panic attack episode that he explored through his essay in March 2018 took the internet by storm. By the 2019 offseason, the NBA had already expanded its mental health program to help players cope with their tensions.

The anonymous sessions with the mental health professionals provided suitable availability to those in need. Even post-confession, DeMar DeRozan got to know what impact the vulnerability he showed brought to his persona. And that’s the reason he was able to share some deeply personal stories in his autobiography. Whether it be the gang culture from his childhood, the loss of his father in February 2021 or sailing through it all to be a father to 5 kids, Deebo is open about it all now.

The revelation that DeMar DeRozan made that morning, lost in his thoughts, crossed barriers of sports as well. Michael Phelps, Simone Biles, and Naomi Osaka joined the NBA star’s campaign. They promoted awareness about the mental health of athletes. It was the vision that led the legendary swimmer to launch the Permission Slip Campaign and team up with TalkSpace for it. It was more of an inspiration for people and athletes to be more vocal about their mental well-being.

No doubt DeMar DeRozan’s single tweet opened the door to a world where NBA and athletes from other sports did not have to shy away from confessing about their personal shortcomings.