Mental Health and Two Legends: Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan

Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, two of the greatest basketball players in NBA history were known for their tenacity on the court and relentless strive for perfection. However, this strive for perfection came at a cost. Jordan paid for it with his mental health, while Kobe saw firsthand its effects on his teammates and became an advocate for change to the mental health stigma.

Jordan:

Undoubtedly one of the greatest basketball players the sport has ever seen, Michael Jordan is a household name synonymous with perseverance, success, and mental toughness. He played in the NBA between 1984 and 2003. However, that span included 2 retirements, the first of which was to focus on his mental health.

In a 1992 interview, Jordan explicitly stated that he was retiring to prioritize his physical and mental well-being. The toll of playing at the pinnacle of basketball was immense, specifically the pressure. Jordan found himself in an unhealthy state of mind, citing that he was “just so tired” that even “rest wasn’t the answer.” In his mind, the only logical course of action was for him to step away from the sport. Besides this, it is important to note that Jordan’s father was murdered in July, 1993, an event that also contributed to Jordan’s retirement.

Jordan’s mental health degraded to a point where he would experience nightmares where he himself was “an alcoholic”, numb to the world. His status as one of the premiere players of the NBA had placed Jordan in a perpetual state of stress as he felt the necessity to maintain his public image, resulting in the fear of losing everything. This resulted in Jordan removing himself from the 93’-94’ NBA season as he “needed the time away” to prioritize his mental health.

Jordan, like other athletes both in the past and present, faced backlash from both the press and fans as many failed to understand the struggles Jordan endured. Mental health is something that can’t be seen or objectively quantified, resulting in fans failing to understand the gravity of the situation. Subsequently, speculation grew that Jordan’s early retirement was because of his gambling addiction or even a “secret ban.” These allegations were mostly unsubstantiated, but go to show the differences in today’s culture versus Jordan’s.

After his brief stint away, Jordan returned to the court in 94’, playing only 17 games before returning to a full season workload in the 95’ season. He would later retire between the 98’-01’ seasons only to return to play another 2 seasons before hanging up his shoes for good. Jordan’s struggles with mental health are not uncommon in the world of sports. His perseverance and mental toughness are not degraded by the fact that he had his internal battles.

Bryant:

Kobe Bryant was quite possibly the closest anyone came to being like Michael Jordan. The work ethic, the skill, the determination were all present in Kobe. However, across his 2 decade career, Kobe experienced the difficulties of mental health through his teammates and himself leading to his work in mental health advocacy after his playing days. In his mind “mental health is a challenge we need to accept, not ignore.”

Bryant is no stranger to mental health challenges. During his playing days, like Jordan, he faced similar issues. But rather than letting them get the better of him, Bryant tackled them head-on as “ignoring it is the worst thing we can do, because then it festers.” Bryant’s work in mental health began during his playing days. He offered one-on-one support to teammates and gave advice to newer athletes, breaking the stigma of the time. For Bryant, the best way to acknowledge mental health issues in sports is to recognize that a person isn’t alone in their struggles and that they have a support system around them. Then, as athletes gradually open up, they are able to find a community of people just like them who face similar challenges, which ultimately results in a source of inspiration that helps them conquer their issues.

After his retirement in 2016, Bryant worked with the “Don’t Retire, Kid” Campaign to encourage kids to stay in sports. Recognizing the growing anxiety and lack of physical activity, Bryant along with other high-profile athletes worked to maintain a fun and easygoing environment in youth sports to keep kids playing.

How does this apply now?

The stigma around mental health in sports has existed for generations. Athletes are continually pressured to perform at their best and to put aside any of their problems, and when they show weakness, they are ridiculed for “not being tough enough” or “being selfish.” But this needs to change. Mental health is a serious thing and should be handled accordingly. Rather than criticizing athletes, fans should try and understand the athlete’s position and allow the athlete space. The issue around mental health needs to change and it needs to change now.

Sources

Goldberg, Rob. “Michael Jordan Explains 1993 Retirement Was Due to Father’s Murder, Not NBA Ban.” Bleacher Report, Bleacher Report, 11 May 2020, bleacherreport.com/articles/2891114-michael-jordan-explains-1993-retirement-was-due-to-fathers-murder-not-nba-ban.

Landsverk, Gabby. “Kobe Bryant Fought the Stigma around Anxiety by Talking about His Own Insecurities.” Insider, Insider, 30 Jan. 2020, www.insider.com/kobe-bryant-legacy-mental-health-advocacy-dont-retire-kid-2020-1.

“Michael Jordan Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and More.” Basketball, www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jordami01.html. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Silverstein, Jack M. “I’m Just so Tired.” Michael Jordan’s Mental Health, in His Own Words, A Shot On Ehlo, 29 July 2021, readjack.substack.com/p/im-just-so-tired-michael-jordans.

YouTube, YouTube, 25 Jan. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9teK6hyVTG0. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.