A former Dallas Mavericks draft pick has retired from basketball at the age of 22, saying the game “began to destroy me.”
Tyrell Terry, the 31st selection in the 2020 NBA draft, made his announcement Thursday with a post on Instagram.
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“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. While I have achieved amazing accomplishments, created unforgettable memories, and made lifelong friends, I’ve also experienced the darkest times of my life,” Terry said.
Terry played just 11 total games in the NBA and was waived by the Mavericks before moving on to play with the Memphis Grizzlies. He most recently played in the NBA’s G League back in 2020-2021, averaging 12 points per game for the Grizzlies affiliate.
His post went on to say that the game made him despise and question his value, made him nauseous and gave him a heavy weight in his chest.
“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. To most, I will be forever known as a bust, a failure, or a waste of talent,” he said.
Terry was Stanford University’s first one-and-done player in the school’s history after averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game. He writes about finding an identity outside of the game of basketball.
The rest of his post goes on to show optimism for making the most out of his life as well as looking forward to new challenges.
“I am eternally grateful to those who have believed in me and apologize to those that I have let down. But I’m headed down a different path now, one that will hopefully lead to happiness and being able to love myself again,” he said.
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