Six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan addresses mental health in new series 'Dinners with DeMar'

In February for Black History Month, USA TODAY Sports is publishing the series "29 Black Stories in 29 Days." We examine the issues, challenges and opportunities Black athletes and sports officials continue to face after the nation’s reckoning on race following the murder of George Floyd in 2020. This is the fourth installment of the series.

Chicago Bulls forward DeMar DeRozan has a message for everyone who is feeling alone or confused or scared. It doesn't matter if you're famous or not. Or wealthy. Or a parent or blue collar or any collar. DeRozan's message is for you. For all of us.

"Remember that we are all human," he said in an interview with USA TODAY Sports. "We're all going through something. All of us. So think about how you can help the next person. No matter how you're feeling, don't give up. Don't feel like it's only you.

"The world can be a harsh place but no matter what, you're not alone."

DeRozan isn't just a six-time NBA All-Star. He's one of the biggest proponents of mental health advocacy in all of professional sports and he's done something that could potentially be remarkable.

He’s launching “Dinners with DeMar,” a new digital series of short films that features one-on-one conversations with not just fellow NBA players but other entertainers and celebrities as well.

The first season, which drops on Feb. 20, starts with three episodes. Each will air on DeRozan's YouTube channel. The first features Golden State’s Draymond Green. He was suspended 12 games for striking Phoenix center Jusuf Nurkic. That came just a short time after he served a five-game suspension for putting Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert in a chokehold.

The second episode, which debuts on March 5, features Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade. The two actually talk in DeRozan’s backyard where Wade discusses fatherhood and how the family has normalized therapy. The third episode airs on March 19 and DeRozan speaks with Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard.

"When you hear about players it's always about basketball," DeRozan said. "Especially when you hear about these players. But there's so much more to them. They talk about their families, their dreams, all of the things that make them human. I think that's one of the things I want to get across. That when it comes to mental health, NBA players aren't so different from anyone else."

DeRozan explained that the mental health discussions have been occurring a lot more in the NBA than they were in the recent past, but more must happen.

"For me, coming from an urban community, you gain a certain amount of success, and society tells you that you're not supposed to worry about your mental health," DeRozan said. "What I want people to know is that players are human just like everyone else. We have emotions. We break down."

The creator and executive producer of the series is Brett Rapkin, who founded Podium Pictures. His 2020 documentary “The Weight of Gold” examined the mental health struggles of Olympic athletes and was nominated for a sports Emmy Award.

Talking about mental health is far from new for DeRozan. In 2018, he tweeted that, "This depression get the best of me." That single tweet sparked what would become a broader conversation initially in the NBA and then across all of sports about mental health.

"He changed a billion dollar business," guard Fred VanVleet said in 2020. "He changed it pretty much single-handedly (by) speaking out. And then obviously a lot of guys felt more comfortable, and that's what it's about. So for him to do that was huge and we won't know the impact, we'll never know the impact, but we just know that it's a great impact that he had on the league and on guys, on players, coaching staff, whoever. That this is DeMar DeRozan and he goes through (expletive) like everybody else.

"I think that was big for him. It took a lot of guts and a lot of heart to do that, and it's something that helped me in my personal life -- feeling comfortable about some of those things -- and it opened my eyes to things I was ignorant about. And I think it was special for him to do that."

To say this series is groundbreaking would be an understatement. It’s the kind of discussion that can literally save lives. That's generally what happens when mental health conversations leave the shadows and the stigma about them are removed.

It’s also clear how much these discussions are needed. Shaka Smart, coach at Marquette, when speaking Nov. 9 during a conference at the school, said a number of college players he's coached who went on to the NBA suffered from depression after getting to the league.

“I’ve coached 13 guys that went to the NBA,” Smart said. “Over half of them went through depression after they went to the NBA. Over half of them. We think as young people this is our goal and when we accomplish our goal we’re going to be happy, we’re going to be set for life, fulfilled. But the reality is, it’s ongoing.”

"Everyone has a story to tell," DeRozan said, "whether you're in the spotlight or not. I do, you do. All of us."

If you or someone you know needs mental health resources and support, please call, text, or chat with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or visit988lifeline.org for 24/7 access to free and confidential services.