Chicago Bulls big man Andre Drummond announced Tuesday he was quitting social media and changing his phone number because of concerns for his mental health.
“Deleting all my social apps, my management will take over. Also changing my number,” Drummond wrote on Twitter.
“Time to focus on my mental health,” he continued. “If you too are struggling with your mental health, you are not alone — it’s okay to ask for help.”
Drummond’s message was also posted on his Instagram account.
Drummond discussed prioritizing his mental health and finding opportunities to focus on his well-being last year in a National Basketball Players Association video and said, “I caught myself focusing on the wrong things, allowing my everyday life to stress me out.”
The former UConn Husky did not elaborate on what drove him to this decision. The announcement came a day after Drummond recorded 11 points and eight rebounds in the Bulls’ loss to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The 29-year-old — an 11-year veteran — is currently averaging 6.1 points and 6.7 rebounds in about 13 minutes in the first year of a two-year contract with the Bulls. He was originally drafted by the Detroit Pistons in 2012 and has also played for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Brooklyn Nets.
Drummond is hardly the only athlete to be open about struggles with mental health. Both current teammate DeMar DeRozan and former Cleveland Cavalier teammate Kevin Love have gone to great lengths to destigmatize the issue among other players and the public.
