NBA Player Tyrell Terry Announces Retirement at 22 Due to "Anxiety This Sport Has Caused Me"

In an Instagram post, former Dallas Mavericks player Tyrell Terry announced his retirement from the NBA writing, “I can’t continue this fight any longer for something I have fallen out of love with."

By Mike Vulpo Dec 16, 2022 12:31 AMTags
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Tyrell Terry has fallen out of love with basketball.

The NBA free-agent guard announced his retirement from the sport on his Instagram page Dec. 15.

"This message is a very difficult one to share and an emotional one to write," Tyrell, 22, wrote. "Today I decided to let go of the game that has formed a large part of my identity. Something that has guided my path since I took my first steps."

While the former Dallas Mavericks player said he achieved amazing accomplishments on the court, he also experienced "the darkest times of my life."  

"Instead of building me up, it began to destroy me," he said. "Where I began to despise and question the value of myself, much more than those surrounding me could ever see or know. Intrusive thoughts, waking up nauseous, and finding myself struggling to take normal breaths because of the rock that would sit on my chest that seemed to weigh more than I could carry. This is just a brief description of the anxiety this sport has caused me." 

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Tyrell made it clear that he "can't continue this fight any longer for something I have fallen out of love with."

 

Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images

"To most, I will be forever known as a bust, a failure, or a waste of talent," he said. "While those may be true when it comes to basketball, it is the biggest failures in life that lead to the greatest success. There is more for me out in this vast world and I am extremely excited to be able to explore that."

For the first time, Tyrell said he is able to find his identity outside of being a basketball player.

"I am eternally grateful to those who have believed in me and apologize to those that I have let down," he said. "But I'm headed down a different path now, one that will hopefully lead to happiness and being able to love myself again."

Tyrell played in 11 games for the Dallas Mavericks during his first season in the NBA. Off the court, he partnered with scholarship platform Bold.org to launch his "Challenge and Opportunity" scholarship to help students in need.

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