Metta World Peace
Introduction
Many famous athletes around the world find themselves in predicaments as they battle mental health struggles. No matter how famous athletes are, they are susceptible to these struggles on and off the court/field. In this article, we dive into NBA star Metta World Peace’s journey as he confronted mental health struggles: specifically what happened, how he encountered it, and where he stands today.
How It Started:
It started at a young age for World Peace, as he’d grown up in Long Island City’s Queensbridge projects during the climax of the crack epidemic. At the age of 13, his parents divorced and a fire ravaged his family, significantly diminishing his self-esteem and state of mind.
In 2004, in a faceoff between the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons, the two teams were entangled in a brawl known as the Malice at the Palace. Here, Peace’s emotions got the best of him. During the incident, he charged into the stands and attacked a fan who poured a drink on him. The incident landed him a $5 million fine, an 86-game suspension, and also shed light on the mental health struggles he was facing at the time.
How He Countered It
World Peace claimed that the Malice at the Palace brought him into a state of depression. Originally, he was scared to open up, believing that men with his physique were capable of just eliminating their struggles in an instant. In his time as an Indiana Pacer, World Peace stated that several people played a role in his road to recovery. Donnie Walsh, CEO of the Pacers, created a coping strategy that Peace could implement in times of distress.
“I would meet with Donnie after practice and then the therapist. He was a major part of me getting happy,” said World Peace.
After the famous 2010 NBA finals, he thanked Dr. Santhi Periasamy in a press conference interview, another therapist in his journey. Dr. Periasamy and World Peace recognized that new strategies needed to be made, and World Peace stated “[he] needed something else to focus on, so [they] used to pick a point on the rim, and [he] would focus on that the whole time. And [World Peace] would focus on [his] breathing. [They] worked on it for two years.”
World Peace says his biggest regret was not trusting more people, especially in an era where social media was nowhere to be found. After retiring in 2017, however, World Peace is free of worries.
“I don’t have much to be stressed out about these days,” he stated in a documentary interview.
His Impact Today
Throughout the back half of his career and era of retirement, Peace became a leading figure in the sports mental health community. After winning the 2010 championship and hitting the game-winning shot, he auctioned off his ring and donated the money to various organizations that advocate mental health awareness in underprivileged communities.
After publicly thanking his therapist, Peace became known as a “Mental Health Hero,” drawing awareness to the mental health of athletes with previously limited attention. His efforts have a lasting impact to this day and play a major role in advocating for individuals to open up about their mental health struggles on and off the court.
Conclusion
The story of Metta World Peace represents resilience and triumph. His decision to open up and publicize his struggles led to a surge in individuals who were able to express similar issues and seek assistance to overcome their struggles. To this day, mental health has a much larger stake in the world and myriad platforms exist where not just athletes, but individuals around the world can open up and discuss their experiences.
Sources
“Metta World Peace – Communication, Health & Wellness.” Talent Bureau, talentbureau.com/speaker/metta-world-peace/#:~:text=Known%20for%20publicly%20sharing%20his,for%20publicly%20thanking%20his%20therapist. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.
Olivieri, Anthony. “Metta World Peace Opens up about His Mental Health Journey and the Importance of Therapy.” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/31472342/metta-world-peace-opens-mental-health-journey-importance-therapy. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.