It’s safe to say that 2020 was rough on just about everyone, but some faced greater tragedies than others. Damian Lillard worked on music and his basketball skills under quarantine, but his professional career wasn’t the only thing on his mind. During a recent interview with The Athletic, the NBA star revealed that he suffered a string of losses in an 18-month period, causing his mental health to be affected.
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“It’s been a hard year and a half for my family, man. People have no idea,” said Lillard. The Athletic detailed a few events that Lillard experienced, and it’s a heavy burden for just one person. The outlet claims that last year, Lillard discovered “the dead body of his cousin and personal chef,” and later, his aunt passed away following a battle with cancer. Then, a friend of his family lost their life to COVID-19 and earlier this year, one of his cousins was killed in Oakland, California.
Before his game against the Los Angeles Lakers last week, Lillard also reportedly learned that two people “in his inner circle” were shot to death—one being a cousin he was reportedly close to and the other a best friend of one of his cousins. As players have adapted to the new rules of the league, many have taken the time to highlight the importance of mental health, especially during this global, unprecedented time. We send our sincerest condolences to Lillard for all of the losses he’s endured.
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