DALLAS — Tyrell Terry, who was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks in 2020, has announced his retirement from basketball at the age of 22, citing issues with mental health.
In an Instagram post Thursday, Terry said he "experienced the darkest times of my life" due to the game.
"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," Terry said in the post. "While I have achieved amazing accomplishments, created unforgettable memories, and made lifelong friends…I’ve also experienced the darkest times of my life. To the point where instead of building me up, it began to destroy me."
The 22-year-old was drafted 31st overall in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft out of Stanford. The Mavericks had high hopes for the young guard, but he ended up only playing in 11 games for Dallas in just one season.
The Mavs released Terry in October 2021, and he was picked up by the Memphis Grizzlies during the 2021-2022 season. After signing a two-way contract in January 2022, he was eventually waived in July of that year.
Terry did not sign with a team for the 2022-2023 season.
In his Instagram post, Terry said he began to suffer from anxiety due to basketball.
"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," Terry said. "This is just a brief description of the anxiety this sport has caused me, and while I’m grateful for every door it has opened for me, I can’t continue this fight any longer for something I have fallen out of love with."
The 22-year-old said he is looking forward to "[finding] my identity outside of being a basketball player."