Stephen Curry Shines a Light on Mental Health and Wellness in New Ad

NBA players have raised mental health awareness this season. From Kevin Love opening up about his struggles with panic attacks to DeMar DeRozan sharing about his depression, athletes have done well to heighten focus on an important issue.

A new spot on this topic from Kaiser Permanente, theNBA’s official healthcare partner, features Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.

Curry also appeared in a similar ad for Kaiser Permanente at this time last year. He recently participated in a Q&A with Kaiser about mental health.

“Total health means controlling, as best I can, how I feel on a day-to-day basis,” Curry said. “Obviously, there are many stresses and variables in life that you can’t control, but you can find ways to cope with stress related to finding peace and happiness as best you can, whatever that means in your daily life. Having a full awareness of how those stresses can manifest themselves in your life, while being able to try to get in front of them as best as possible, is key.”

Curry learned much of what he knows about physical and mental health from his father, Dell, who played in the NBA from 1986-2002.

“To keep my mind sharp during season it was important to eat well and get proper rest,” Dell said in a press release.

“We brought the concept of mental resilience to life through Stephen Curry’s personal story, from the playground to how his father and mother served as his inspiration all the way through the NBA draft and his Championship victories,” said John Norman, the company’s Chief Creative Officer. “Through telling Stephen’s own story, we were able to highlight Kaiser Permanente’s message that mental wellness is an ongoing and lifelong pursuit.”

The NBA Playoffs kick off Saturday. Curry’s Warriors, the No. 2 seed, will face off with the No. 7 San Antonio Spurs, who are expected to be without Kawhi Leonard.

Curry is also dealing with an injury. He’s recovering from a Grade 2 MCL sprain of his left knee. It’s not yet clear when he’ll make his return, but he’ll miss at least some of the playoffs, and likely the entire first round.

(Source: Complex)