NBA Star Kevin Love: The Breakdown That Became a Breakthrough

12 May 2026 · 1 h 3 min · 28 chapters

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In short

Kevin Love recounts the 2017 in-game panic attack that followed years of anxiety/depression and “achieve my way out” coping. He explains how invisible mental illness, stigma, and identity loss (including after injuries and retirement) fueled a spiral, then how therapy, community, and purpose helped him recover. He also discusses mental-health advocacy through the Kevin Love Fund and the Enough organization, plus tools for emotional literacy in schools.

Guest backgrounds

Kevin Love is an NBA all-star/all-NBA forward and Olympic gold medalist. He founded the Kevin Love Fund after the panic attack. The host is Lemonada (not identified by name in the transcript). DeMar DeRozan is mentioned as an early supporter/encourager. Kevin’s wife (Kate) and longtime collaborator Shannon Magali are referenced as being present during the episode.

Key claims

“Nothing haunts us like the things we don’t say.” Mental illness is invisible like a broken bone is visible. Achievement can temporarily numb depression but doesn’t fix the underlying brain pattern. Building purpose and support reduces fear of relapse.

Notable examples

the Nov 5, 2017 Hawks game (shortness of breath, sprinting to the trainer’s office, passing out, tests at Cleveland Clinic were normal); panic attacks after injuries and in another game vs. Oklahoma City; using tennis/basketball as a “safe space” and crutch; using social-emotional learning lessons (e.g., Spider-Verse-based curriculum) in schools.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

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Kevin Love's Panic Attack Experience

0:45 to 3:00

Kevin Love recounts the panic attack he experienced during an NBA game and its impact.

“He's having a panic attack on the court in the middle of a packed arena.”

The Burden of Expectations

3:00 to 6:00

Discussion on the pressures and expectations faced by Kevin Love throughout his career.

“One of the things that has really helped me in my healing journey was going back to childhood and identifying this limiting belief that I had and that was that I was never enough.”

Childhood Influences and Mental Health

6:00 to 9:00

Kevin shares how childhood experiences shaped his mental health struggles.

“And I didn't know what the hell to do with it.”

The Role of Sports as an Escape

9:00 to 12:00

Exploration of how sports served as an escape for both Kevin and the host.

“And I feel like for me and my story, you know, tennis was that and then business and then Tom's.”

Preparing for Life After Basketball

12:00 to 14:00

A conversation about the challenges of transitioning away from a sports career.

“So for me, I feel like I have done the work in setting myself up after basketball.”

Keys to Happiness

14:00 to 15:00

Explore the importance of having support and things to look forward to.

“Happiness is having something to look forward to.”

Struggles Behind Success

15:00 to 19:35

Kevin Love discusses his struggles with mental health despite his success in basketball.

“You've got the Kevin Love Fund, which we're going to get into in a minute, which is a lot of purpose.”

Facing Depression

19:35 to 20:55

Kevin shares his experiences with severe depression and the importance of communication.

“And it's just this negative feedback loop from hell that you just don't have the tools to know how to face.”

The Burden of Silence

20:55 to 24:43

Discussing the consequences of not speaking about mental health struggles.

“We were never taught to be vulnerable or practice empathy, or we would, you know, a lot of times like make fun of it or like I said, offload hurt thinking that like, oh, I'm going to hurt that next person.”

Panic Attacks and Letdowns

24:43 to 26:49

Kevin explains the panic attack he faced after achieving his lifelong dream.

“So like nothing haunts us like it, we don't say.”
Show all 28 chapters

Reflections After the Glory

27:50 to 28:00

Kevin reflects on the relief after winning a championship and the ensuing emptiness.

“in some interviews, but even in 2016, when we were making our run, I wasn't in a great place.”

Reflecting on the 2016 Finals

28:00 to 28:39

Kevin Love discusses his memories and feelings about the 2016 NBA Finals and the support he received during tough times.

“I just had an assistant coach who is now with Dallas text me yesterday and he showed me a photo of us from the 2016 finals.”

The Personal Spiral

28:40 to 29:40

Love describes a professional and personal spiral of struggles that led to his mental health struggles.

The Panic Attack Incident

29:40 to 31:19

Kevin recounts a panic attack during a game, detailing the physical sensations and fear he experienced.

“It just, it led me to a moment where I just, I broke.”

The Aftermath of the Panic Attack

31:20 to 32:30

He explains the immediate aftermath of his panic attack, including his physical reactions and emotional state.

“And again, breathing just keeps getting heavier and heavier.”

Facing the Reality of Vulnerability

32:30 to 33:48

Love shares the shame and fear he felt after the panic attack and the pressure of being a public figure.

“And I'm like trying to get something out of my throat.”

From Pain to Purpose

33:48 to 35:50

Kevin discusses how his mental health struggles inspired him to advocate for others and create the Kevin Love Fund.

“And it happens far more than people realize.”

The Courage to Speak Out

35:50 to 37:48

He reflects on the courage it took to share his mental health journey publicly.

“And when you had that panic attack, you know, that was kind of like the moment that then ultimately led you to speak up.”

Giving Permission to Others

37:48 to 39:56

Kevin explores how sharing his story empowered others to share their own mental health experiences.

“Like I, I, you know, and that's why I would put myself in, in dark rooms and, and, you know, beds or, you know, lay on a couch for, you know, hours and hours and days and days at a time.”

Establishing Resources for Youth

39:56 to 41:27

Love discusses the resources provided to youth through the Kevin Love Fund to promote mental health awareness.

“How are you applying that to then helping young people today through the Kevin Love Fund?”

The Importance of Curriculum in Mental Health

41:27 to 42:00

Kevin emphasizes the importance of educational programs and emotional learning in supporting young people's mental health.

“There's a lot of emotion in between them.”

Emotional Awareness and Personal Growth

42:00 to 45:12

Kevin Love shares insights on emotional awareness and the importance of enjoying life's journey.

“We did an amazing short film with them where we created a lesson plan around it as well.”

Raising Emotionally Aware Children

47:42 to 53:11

Kevin Love discusses strategies for raising children with awareness of mental health issues.

“One of my favorite quotes of all time is Mother Teresa, and she says, If you want to change the world, start in your home.”

Keys to Personal Mental Wellness

53:11 to 56:00

Kevin shares practical advice on maintaining mental health through lifestyle choices.

“And like my body's taken a beating over 18 years of professional basketball, but I want to be a young dad.”

The Importance of Connection and Wellness

56:00 to 57:20

Learn about the significance of connection, meditation, and nature for mental health.

“I mean, I know that when I'm finally hanging up and I'm done playing, I'm going to miss the plane rides.”

Managing Anxiety in Daily Life

57:20 to 59:00

Discover strategies for managing anxiety, including breathing techniques and self-assessment.

“And the reason I'm asking is because I've really been feeling great for about a year.”

The Power of Writing as a Therapeutic Tool

59:00 to 1:00:15

Explore how writing down thoughts and feelings can aid in processing emotions.

“I'm most grateful for just how vulnerable you've been today.”

Gratitude and Vulnerability in Sharing Experiences

1:00:15 to 1:01:00

Learn about the value of gratitude and vulnerability in personal connections.

“And I'm so grateful you came on the podcast.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:02Lemonada.

0:05It was after halftime and I could tell something was wrong the minute the game started. And I'm just, you know, keep struggling to find breath and focus on the play in front of me. I couldn't focus two feet in front of me. I just said I have to go and just ran back to a familiar place, which was the locker room. Heart rate and breathing continues to, you know, go to a higher cadence and it gets getting more and more scary. I feel like I kick an oxygen in my brain. I'm thinking like something might be wrong with my heart. It's November 5th, 2017, and Kevin Love is nearly a decade into an all-star career in the NBA.

0:44But what happens on the court that fateful night will change not only the way he plays the game, but his entire life. He's having a panic attack on the court in the middle of a packed arena. Like, what's going to happen? Am I going to die? Everyone's going to see this. Right, like everybody's going to see this. And then I sprint into our head athletic trainer's office, just fall on the ground and just like, you know, pass out. Now my safe space in the basketball court is now gone. Now it's all anxiety and fear to the max. This event would set Kevin on a path that would lead not only to his healing journey, but to a new calling as a mental health advocate.

1:23The first step was coming to terms with the darkness that dominated his mind from an early age and followed him throughout his whole career. You know, perception is such an interesting thing. From the outside, the perception is, oh, this guy has everything and everything looks good and he's an all-NBA player and he's an all-star. He won, you know, Olympic gold medal and, you know, so much going for him. But at the same time, like, literally, everybody's going through something. And going through something that you can't see. Kevin's story is one of resilience. And even though he's a very famous basketball star, I promise you his story is so relatable.

2:00For anyone who's struggled in silence, anyone who's felt the crushing weight of expectations, and for anyone who's trying to make sense of their lives and their career, this episode is for you. The hardest thing maybe in my entire career to reconcile with is that I have not enjoyed it enough. What do you tell your younger self? Yeah, I always say nothing haunts us like the things we don't say.

2:33Before we start the show, I wanted to share that at the end of this episode, I will be giving everyone watching and listening an Enough Bracelet. The Enough Bracelet has been a great tool for me on my journey, and sharing with others is one of my greatest joys. So enjoy this conversation and stick around at the end for details on how you can receive an enough bracelet from me as well. Kevin, welcome to the show. I appreciate you having me, happy to be here. One of the things that has really helped me in my healing journey was going back to childhood and identifying this limiting belief that I had and that was that I was never enough.

3:11I'm curious, what are some of the messages you might've heard growing up that possibly led to that panic attack, you know, in 2000? Yeah, I think connecting the dots looking back has been very helpful for me. It hasn't necessarily all been happy, you know, I don't think it always is. And it's not linear. There's certainly bumps along the road and, you know, lessons that I've learned in even doing that. And for me, it was unpacking and still unpacking 30 plus years of expectation. And I always talk about trying to achieve my way out of depression, achieve my way out of, you know, feeling these, these dark spells that I'd have for weeks and even months.

4:02And primarily throughout my, my teens and my 20s. And, you know, if I really look back and, you know, started from early childhood, it would be that. It would be unpacking a father having played in the NBA, somebody who expected a lot from me, somebody who was hard on me, loving, but hard on me. You know, I've had to understand the duality and that both things can be true at the same time. Like, you know, it was really hard and really tough, you know, having a father and being a big fish in a small pond where expectations were so high on me, yet I still feel like I had and know I had a wonderful childhood and in a lot of ways got what I needed and was nurtured.

4:51Yeah. I mean, I think that expectation is something I still relate to. Like I grew up a very competitive tennis player. You know, one of the top players in Texas and in the country. And I just put so much pressure on myself, you know and i think i was now looking back and unpacking like you you know i also had a very loving father but also there was pressure to perform it just was part of our culture and growing up you know and and i look back and i think you know um you know would i have changed things i don't think so but i do wish i learned some of the tools that i've learned now to have dealt with that pressure you know one of the things i was curious to ask you about today was you know before the panic attack you know you still were dealing with some anxiety and depression for many years when did that first start like when did you like looking back as you've unpacked it are you able to say oh wow I was 12 or I was 10 or I was 20 is there a moment you can remember probably 13 maybe 14 years old and uh where I grew up in Portland Oregon right outside of Portland, Oregon, we start middle school then.

5:54So you start understanding what it is to be self-conscious. And it was right at that probably 15, 16 years old where it really took on a life of its own. And I didn't know what the hell to do with it. I didn't have any of the tools. I didn't know what resources were. All we learned was about physical health and sexual health, but we never learned about what was between the ears and our mental health. We just never had a space where we were allowed to do that. And especially around our peers, like we were sent down the hallway and it's like, Hey, get with your counselor, get with the principal, vice principal, whoever it may be that is somebody who's kind of removed and away from everyone.

6:37So, you know, if, if you ended up going there, people are kind of looking like, okay, well. What's wrong with you? Yeah. And that makes it worse. Way worse. I mean, so that's the thing. I have an 11 year old boy and, you know, especially with boys, you know, I mean, anything that is connected to any weakness or being different. I mean, he, I mean, now it's like the phase where I have to like ask him what I can wear when I take his friends to a basketball game or something, because it's like, he gets embarrassed by the easiest thing. And you just realize it's not that there's anything wrong with him.

7:07It's just, that's the age you're trying to fit in. And so if you're going to ask the counselor for, you know, Hey, I'm struggling mentally. I mean, there's no way back then. And today it's a little bit better, but still, I mean, this is why we're working so hard with enough and you're working kevin love foundation is helping break that stigma helping it be okay i mean what i did was i numbed through tennis so like i became like all i did is play tennis i mean literally like my friends would go to the movies on friday night and i would go to the park and hit against the wall i mean literally until 10 o 'clock at night and somehow no one thought that that was a problem and so i'm assuming that basketball became your vehicle for not having to deal with these feelings.

7:50Is that correct? A hundred percent correct. And it was a safe space for me. It's in a lot of ways, it still is because like, certainly it was a safe haven, a place where if what, no matter what was going on, I could always go there knowing that, um, it would be a way to, uh, escape for me. Was it the healthiest relationship? Probably not. But again, I, I believe that it was a driving force to me and you know it was you know a hurt so good type of mentality too like if I'm in if I'm in pain or I'm feeling uh down or feeling anxiety I always knew that I could step between those two lines or I could you know go outside to my my front yard where we had a basketball hoop or I could go to the local park and I could just set myself and ground myself within basketball and I mean there's I think there's you can have a healthy relationship and I think with By no means do I want to say that for people who are listening that love their work, entrepreneurs, CEOs, you know, or even young people who are athletes, like you can have a healthy relationship with your, you know, your hobbies or your passions or whatever.

8:55But if it becomes the thing that is the crutch, it can also be the thing that can undo you. And I feel like for me and my story, you know, tennis was that and then business and then Tom's. And I now see that I was constantly chasing wanting to feel enough. And like, so especially Tom's was like the greatest drug in the world for that because, you know, I was on the cover of all the magazines. I gave 100 million children's shoes. Everyone kept telling me that I was enough. That was great because I did this to help people. But then when I sold the company and that. There goes the identity. There goes the identity.

9:29there goes the drug because now I have no external validation I'm living in the mountains snowboarding no one knows who I am or cares and that's when it really came crashing down for me which now I look back and I'm so thankful because it led me on this healing journey but I see this a lot with athletes I talk to you know especially retired athletes like their whole life I mean they're on top of the world and they never they sweep all the mental health stuff any anxiety any depression any childhood trauma they just sweep it under the rug, they retire and they've now have lost their purpose. They're not connected to their community and all this stuff starts coming up.

10:08So you've already done a lot of work. Thankfully. Thankfully, but, but I mean, you are at some point going to retire. I mean, how do you think about that? Does it scare you or are you, how you prepare for something like that? It definitely scares me. I've had to come to grips with athletic mortality more so now in the last probably two years than I have in the last 20. Okay. And, you know, everything I feel like brought me here for a reason and you brought us here for a reason for the greater good, right? For people to understand that they are enough and they're part of a larger community and something bigger than themselves.

10:48But for me, it's certainly like having the Kevin Love Fund, you know, back in 2017, having that panic attack in 2018, starting the Kevin Love Fund, like that has given me purpose and a legacy piece outside of basketball. So I go to when I'm done. And then also finding balance within several different interests or mediums or hobbies that I have outside of basketball. So that when I lose my, you know, identity as a basketball player, in terms of like putting a jersey on, like I might work in a front office someday, or I might work with an organization at some capacity, but I won't entirely, you know, lose that sense of, of, of identity just because I'm not playing anymore.

11:31I had a very, you know, had that, you know, that striver's curse and, and, and always, you know, we used to talk about like dangling something right outside of what I consider success because it would just never be enough, never be enough. And then, you know, I felt like achieving something else or getting another accolade or reaching a different height would then cure me or I wouldn't be depressed anymore anxiety yeah it's achievement for sure then all of that would go away yeah but then my brain would go back to the same level that it was at prior yeah and it just moved away so fast and and and i thought okay push it to the side what's next what's next what's next and when that happens like you know that anxiety heightens or your depression is you know uh re-establish itself from from dormancy and then you're left with the same brain that you've always had and you have I haven't done any of the work.

12:23So for me, I feel like I have done the work in setting myself up after basketball. Therefore, I hope to, I'm still gonna go through it. There's still gonna be a time where I feel like I've lost someone or there's like a death. I mean, without a doubt. Without a doubt, because I've been doing this since I was five or six years old, right? I've been playing organized basketball for over 30 years now. But hopefully the difference is, is when you go through that period now, you don't have the fear. I think the fear, anyone who's had a mental health crisis, a major panic attack, me, you know, severe depression, suicidality.

12:59I find that if you don't have the tools and the support group, then when you're going through something tough, it can be really, really scary that it's going to be that intense again. And now that you've done the work and you have the support and you have purpose beyond basketball with the Kevin Love Fund, I think that you're going to be set up to ride that storm. And it's going to be a storm. For sure. And it'll evolve. Yeah. And, you know, things will take their place over the course of time. But I do, and I am proud of myself. I hate looking in the rear view because it's like, you know, I've always felt like, oh, it's complacency.

13:31But I've given myself, I keep using the word grace. I love that word too. A little bit more grace and understanding like it's okay to do that. We mentioned connect the dots looking back to like childhood. It helps for my understanding. It helps tell a story in that way to where that it makes sense. It makes more sense. So therefore, I do feel a lot less fear. As you mentioned, you mentioned that word fear. I feel a lot less fear than I otherwise would had I not done these things working up to this point. A couple of things that I'm hearing from you that I just want to repeat is, if you are potentially heading towards retirement or you are having other hobbies, having built that support group, having things to look forward to, I think is such an important part of it, right?

14:17Happiness is having something to look forward to. You have to be present, right? You have to, and there has to be that balance that I talked about where it's like, I'm not putting all my eggs anymore into the basketball basket. I mean, it's like unhealthy because if that's going wrong, I have nothing else. That's what made me very depressed early in my career is like when I got hurt or I wasn't playing well or I just didn't feel like I was adding value to the world. So I had quite literally nothing else, but it is having something to look forward to 100%. Right. Three things I heard this year today.

14:49I said the three keys to happiness is having someone to love, something to work on, like that you feel purpose, and something to look forward to. Right. And so you have a great family. So you're check off there. You've got the Kevin Love Fund, which we're going to get into in a minute, which is a lot of purpose. You're now a founding partner of Enough, which I'm super happy about. And then you have stuff to look forward to. And so I think that that's really great. So I want to go back to the beginning of your career. You know, I think you turned pro at 19. Is that right? 19, played my first game at 20.

15:24Yeah, okay. And so you were with Timberwolves for six seasons on fire. You had a lot of success early on. Like, what did that feel like after dealing with some of that anxiety and darker thoughts in your teens? Now you're on top of the game, kicking ass. Like, what did that feel like? And how did that affect? was that was that good for the mental health did it help kind of you know put some of the negative thinking aside or were you still struggling during that time i was definitely still struggling during that time and wow i think it's crazy to hear like i just 100 so many people think so many years old on the timber wolves like there's no way this guy was struggling and that's where you know perception is such an interesting thing i'm sure we'll get into it more later but like you That's what had me really start the Kevin Love Fun too, is from the outside, the perception is, oh, this guy has everything and everything looks good and he's an all-NBA player and he's an all-star.

16:19He won Olympic gold medal and so much going for him. But at the same time, like I spoke, my article was literally everybody's going through something and going through something that you can't see. It's invisible. That's one thing that I think people have to understand. Like if you had a good friend and they got a car accident, right? And they had like broken leg, broken arm, like immediately you take them to the hospital. Immediately you make sure that the family doesn't leave the side. When they get out, they do physical therapy. They get to miss work. No one's giving them a hard time for not taking out the trash or helping with the kid's homework.

16:56But with mental illness, it's invisible. Right. And so it's so hard if you're going through it. I mean, I went through the severest depression for two years and people were like, get over it. You have these great kids and there's money in this house. It's like, it doesn't matter. No, it doesn't matter. So was this something that you were talking to others about? Did you have a therapist or were you just all kind of keeping it in here and channeling it to make baskets? You know, I had the same mindset. I was channeling it and for better or for worse. But, you know, and I was compartmentalizing.

17:30At least I was doing my best. There were a lot of times where I was not hard to read at all. Low energy, no eye contact, shame shivers, didn't want to talk to anybody. God, I remember this myself. Always just walking around perpetually tired, emotionally exhausted, nothing to give outside of putting on a fake facade, which is like, it's the most exhausting thing. It's just, you know, people talk about playing a character. I was playing a character outwardly and wasn't, you know, self-conscious and wasn't able to be, you know, myself as a person or emotionally. And I wasn't free or authentic in who I was.

18:17I like, I wasn't comfortable in my own skin. So the only place where I felt like I could do that was on the basketball court. So I had to channel that. I had to achieve. I had to do these things to have any self-worth and worth to the basketball world, which was at the time what meant most to me. But what about when you got injured? Because I was really - That was one of the darkest times. I mean, that's when you had suicidal thoughts, right? Yes, 100%. I mean, that's a real thing. And I just, for anyone who's listening to this or watching this, if you are in that dark place, the most important thing is to talk to someone.

18:53like i mean you just if you do anything just call a friend and tell them the truth because i know that when i was in that space the only reason i'm above the ground is i knew how bad it was getting and i started talking to people but it sounds like you just suffered it by yourself yeah it was one of those dark thank god stare at the the ceiling or the wall type of guy oh my god and And, you know, it just, in a lot of ways, that was me trying to, all right, if I am going to step outside, if I am going to, you know, face these 20 ,000 plus people arenas and be able to give all my energy to this and nothing else that I need to just sit in a dark room in my bed and make sure that I eat, make sure that I fuel, make sure that I get my treatments, but just be in this dark room by myself with thoughts that were extremely unhealthy so like when the game is taken away from you yeah and you're not on the road with the team you don't have that you're by yourself you have no creative outlet you have no physical like you you just don't have anywhere to turn so like you know your mind uh you know starts playing tricks on you and especially when you don't have anywhere to to be vulnerable you don't feel like you have anybody to reach out to and you know you start having suicidal thoughts and suicidal ideations, you just can't control it.

20:17And it's just this negative feedback loop from hell that you just don't have the tools to know how to face. So I've been there a number of times and in unpacking and unloading that stuff with my therapist, I've started to control it and understand a much better way. I wish, people always ask me you know what i would tell my my younger self or my 15 year old self that was my next question so yeah it's i mean what if someone's if someone's in that space right now because i mean this is the reason i'm doing the podcast yeah like i mean i am literally only doing this podcast for people who might be suffering might be stuck might be having those thoughts because when i was having them i couldn't find this conversation and so assuming someone listening or watching having those thoughts like what do you tell that person or what do you tell your younger self yeah i always say nothing haunts us like the things we don't say great nothing haunts us like the things we don't say i like to say nothing haunts us like the we don't say but that's just me that's fine yeah this is one of those i'm an expletive i came from a four-letter home so like i'm i like that nothing haunts us like the we don't say i'm gonna call that's what we're gonna call it a in honor of mcconaughey yeah i would call that a note to self you know he says note to self you know um so that's a note to sell so we gotta talk about it no that was definitely it and then um even on my drive over here i was i was talking about like at least with with men or or young boys i feel like we've always been celebrated for like beat our beating our emotions in a submission like just bury it or just beat it down and like look at me it's almost like when people are like well i didn't sleep at all last night look at me or i got three four hours of sleep it's like dude that's not cool trust me as soon as you get older it's not really cool yeah and the um you know the emotions like you get asked oh how are you feeling like how are you really feeling where it was like i've always done this too it's it's you know i feel fine and then the other extreme is like i feel angry and there's like no other words or no other language to be able to express yourself like no i feel this way and this is why i'm feeling it or this is what's going on in my life like i was in that same, you know, masculine, male driven, you know, whether it be sports or just in your youth or in your teens, as you get into your twenties, like we're not, we were never taught to feel that way.

22:46We were never taught to be vulnerable or practice empathy, or we would, you know, a lot of times like make fun of it or like I said, offload hurt thinking that like, oh, I'm going to hurt that next person. So I can't get hurt knowing that at the end of the day. That's the reason why bullying exists, right? For sure. And I always say like, I wasn't a bully by any means, but man, I have like, I talk about like the shame shivers and feeling a certain way. Like I go back to high school. I'm like, man, why did I do that? I'm like, I just, I, and I've, I, some of the people I've, whether it be a teammate or somebody that I went to school with, because I, you know, I was this basketball player that had, was, had so much, you know, influence and was, was, was well known in the state, but also across the country.

23:31Like I do feel like I just wish, you know, in hindsight and I've grown and done a lot, like I could have been, I could have done so much better to help enrich and help people's lives. But I'm very grateful that those, you know, a lot of those same people that I've come across and, you know, even with my dad passing last year, I was home for a long time. I was able to make peace with back home because I was able to have those conversations. So like - That's such a blessing. It was such a blessing. And that's the big part of healing. And healing. Just admitting like you're wrong. Yeah. I was just so tunnel.

24:02I was protecting myself. Yeah, I was tunnel focused on what was I trying to achieve? And in doing that, I hurt some people. And really - Is that okay? No. No. But how you deal with it, how you go back and reconcile, that's how you get rid of the shame. Yeah. Because shame is not an emotion that I think our creator wants us to have. No. You know? Now you can feel guilty about something and then act on it and then make it right. Right, but shame really can suck the life out of you. Well, and I think about regret a lot too, and this isn't, this is something that I've learned is that it's, yes, it's action and those things that I may have done, but so much of it is tied up regret and inaction.

24:42Yes, totally. So like nothing haunts us like it, we don't say. Nothing haunts us like it, we don't say. So when you feel it and you know that it's time, take action, make repair, and then let it go. Well, and you also, you know, It's like when I would have to, people say they fear public speaking more than death. It's like when you're going up in front of the class and you're making a speech or something about something you might not be passionate about or not know about, or maybe you're just scared to speak in front of your peers, right? You get up there, you go through it, and then you're like, oh, that wasn't so bad.

25:14It's like people were making up things because our brains do that. And you're making up things in your head that are far worse than they really are. Just like they say, just because you think it doesn't mean it's true. I mean, if I could have learned that early on. I wish I could be more of a stoic, but I'm a practicing stoic, I guess. But that's exactly right. You make it up worse in your head, just like that. So it's a funny thing. So I decided not to take any advertising for the first season of No Magic Pill. Instead, I want to use a few minutes to share about some projects I'm involved in that have really helped me on my journey in hopes that they will help you as well.

25:50As I learned the hard way, there is no magic pill. But there is one thing I do every morning, and that's take my morning water. And here's why. I learned that every night you lose over a liter and a half of water, including essential electrolytes and minerals. And that's why you wake up feeling depleted. I used to try to fix this the hard way. My kitchen counter looked like a pharmacy. Creatine, magnesium, electrolytes, half a dozen bottles I forgot to take half the time. My friend Austin combined all those into one simple formula and called it morning water. He gave it to me. I drank it for 30 days and I knew I had to be involved.

26:32So we co-founded the company together and every one of my friends who has tried it has been hooked ever since. I believe in this so much that we offer a full refund to anyone who does the 30-day morning water challenge and does not notice a big difference in the way they feel. If you want to try it and join us, go to morningwater.co and use the code NOMAGICPILL to get 25 % off your first month. And get ready, because your mornings will never be better. Okay, so I've kind of been bouncing all around. I want to go to the panic attack, because I had a panic attack too. And I think a lot of people, maybe you're wondering, am I having a panic attack or is this just anxiety?

27:13Like, what is the difference? the year before the panic attack you won the championship so I gotta think that was a lifelong dream unbelievable experience and if I know you as well as I think I do you're probably like that's it I just dedicated my whole life to winning this I won it so there had to be some form of a letdown did that contribute to the panic attack what do you think were the ingredients that led to that day when you had to, you know, literally publicly leave a game. Yeah. And I wasn't even in, I've kind of tiptoed around it or touched on it in some interviews, but even in 2016, when we were making our run, I wasn't in a great place.

28:02I just had an assistant coach who is now with Dallas text me yesterday and he showed me a photo of us from the 2016 finals. Okay. And he's like, man, I'm so proud of us and proud of you for having, you know, gotten through that time. Because like, you know, he was around it. Yeah, yeah. And, you know, I expressed my gratitude and I was very thankful for, you know, him staying on me and staying with me during that time because he knows it wasn't an easy time for me. So like, I haven't, I don't go back and watch any of those finals game. I had a concussion. I didn't play well. I played well in game seven.

28:39uh we won and it was more relief than like elation i knew you were gonna say that like i always had written it down and he's gonna call it relief yeah that's that's how i felt yeah when i sold the company when i was like exhale yeah but then the next day i was like what's next yeah right and you know if is this all there is yeah right so i think that led into the next you know year and some change of of um just professional and um personal spiral like I just called them like different pillars in my life were just falling to where I was having success professionally but it was just hitting so hollow and then I got hurt and then the game was taken away from me and then you know when I had the panic attack my teammates didn't know what the hell was going on and then I had another one against Oklahoma City and nobody knew what was going on so my teammates turned against me and I wasn't well I didn't want to share anything because I thought my livelihood would be taken away from me and I thought that it would compromise my entire career and got people wouldn't trust me organization wouldn't trust me and you know I'd be looked at someone that was that was weak in this professional sports setting so it was like I talk about that negative feedback loop it's a spiral spiral that's that's only professionally too yeah So like everything else that was going on away from the court, nothing was adding up.

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30:02It just, it led me to a moment where I just, I broke. Physically broke. Physically broke. You couldn't breathe. No, couldn't breathe. You couldn't even play if you wanted to. No, I had to remove myself. Like I talked about earlier, like when I was young, I always had somewhere to go. For those of you who don't know the exact story, which you just, I know it might be hard, but if you were just like, Because I think it's important for someone to understand, like, in your body, like, what was happening. Yeah, so I, it was after halftime. So we're playing the Hawks November 5th of 2017. It was after halftime.

30:36And I could tell something was wrong the minute the game started. I got into foul trouble and, again, weight of expectations. It was pretty early on. Short of breath a little bit, right? Oh, very short of breath. Very short of breath to the point where it was, there was, you know, irregular. It wasn't the normal, you know, shortness of breath that you might feel if you're in altitude or something like that. So coach Tyronn Lue was, you know, going over some plays and I'm just, you know, keep struggling to find breath and focus on the play in front of me. I couldn't focus two feet in front of me.

31:10So I just, you know, I got up out of the huddle and I immediately told him, I was like, he started telling me a coverage or something. I just said, I have to go and just ran back to the uh a familiar place which was the locker room i thought nobody would be there of course there were people there heart rate and breathing continues to you know go to a higher cadence and um it gets getting more and more scary i feel like i kick an oxygen in my brain i'm thinking like something might be wrong with my heart yes that's that's a common feeling for someone and i've experienced it where it's like am i having a heart attack yes and then like you know it's kind of like a, a, um, a heat wave throughout my like chest and my, my neck and my head.

31:51And again, breathing just keeps getting heavier and heavier. And like, I'm, I'm looking for like a place to go. Like I have no way I got, I have this, it was our old locker room in Cleveland. I'm like, okay, I can't do this here because everybody comes through the locker room, but I'm like, oh, like, if I don't figure this out now, like, am I going to like, what's going to happen? Am I going to die? Yeah. Everyone's going to see this. Right. Like everybody's going to see this. And then I literally am going through our training room and we have players out and we have, you know, PTs there and athletic trainers there that are like watching this happen.

32:23And I just sprint into our head athletic trainer's office, just fall on the ground and just like, you know, pass out. And I'm like trying to get something out of my throat. That's like, I keep thinking, maybe there's something blocking my airways and I just can't get enough oxygen, you know, and I'm profusely, so I sweat, but not like that. That was like heavy, heavy sweat. So I, you know, I'm back on, after I get up, I'm back on oxygen. I go to, you know, they get me out of there. Security escorts me out of there. I don't even know if I shower. I put on my clothes. They drive me to the Cleveland Clinic.

32:56They run all the tests. And you're totally fine. Totally fine. Yeah. That's totally fine. Yeah. Physically. Yeah. Totally fine. So I'm sitting there like, well, what the f*** just happened? So then like, you know, Kate, my now wife, she had driven from, uh, from Detroit to, um, meet us there after it happened. And then, um, um, Shannon Magali, who, uh, I've worked with for over 10 years now, she was there as well. And I'm just looking at him like, you know, I almost don't want to feel a lot of shame. I don't want to even want to like look at anybody in the eye because I'm, I don't know what's going on.

33:37Is this going to happen again? Who saw this? I have to face all of this at work. yeah like how the hell am i gonna explain this right there now now my safe place of the basketball safe space in the basketball court is now gone is it gone forever so like now it's all anxiety and fear to the max like it just makes it worse yeah just makes it worse yeah and it's just the fear of when is this going to happen again i mean after i had my first panic attack you know waking up at three in the morning not being able to breathe heart the whole thing then every night that i went to bed for about a month i was just like please don't wake up and have another panic attack yeah and then that becomes like that becomes the new normal and it's like is this all you're playing defense now the whole time your whole life is and i've been offensive player my whole life so now you're like literally playing defense in a survival and then and then what happens is then you're in fight and flight and so we know that what happens to your brain with your in fire flight you can't make any good decisions so then you start making bad decisions and then you i don't know about you but I messed up my personal life beyond belief because I'm making bad decision after bad decision, which then caused more shame.

34:42And I mean, this is what happens. And it happens far more than people realize. Right. And then you start, I always, you know, that imposter syndrome had always been there for me. And even like agoraphobia to the max now where I'm like, I can't leave. I can't go outside. You won't see anyone. Nobody, you know, I'm going to be, you know, publicly stoned if I go outside like people are just gonna rip me apart tear me apart if they know about this and then especially you as a public figure yeah and I mean I can't imagine in Cleveland they live vicariously through their athletes for sure through sports so even then like I didn't want this to be like a blemish on them I wanted to be looked at as like this yeah even more pressure this guy that um you know inspired kids and they have the zero jerseys and yeah you know it's like lebron kairi and kevin and i i didn't want to be that guy yeah um which now in you know of course in hindsight you could have never known at the time but now it's i guess become an inspiration in a different way um but again i had to go through that yeah well i mean i heard this the other day someone said um sometimes we in life we can turn our mess into our message yeah and that's what you've done so well with sharing this and being so vulnerable and you know starting you know the kevin love fund would not exist if this didn't happen so it's it's it's nice i think for me like you said earlier like making sense of things as on my healing journey has been so helpful for me to make sense of like well if i didn't go through all that pain right i wouldn't have had this idea that now is helping kids in high schools and colleges and having this type of conversation which will definitely help someone.

36:26Yeah. And when you had that panic attack, you know, that was kind of like the moment that then ultimately led you to speak up. And that was the first time. I mean, writing that essay, it was, I think, the first time that you publicly talked about this. And the response was amazing. And it's led to so much that you've continued to speak about. So how did you have the courage? like I mean what I mean that's probably all the questions I was excited to ask today this is the one I was probably most interested in is because basketball because it was your safe place you now lost your safe place by you coming out and saying this is what happened and we got to start talking about this took a tremendous amount of courage especially back then you know 2018 right no one was talking about this so what what was the insight like who did someone encourage you did you get help from a therapist like how did you know that you were ready to take this major decision and come out with this well somebody who had pushed me was demar de rosen okay and he just i always say like he probably just he had like a 3 a.m like very passive tweet about him struggling and his depression gets the best of him and that sort of thing so him and i have been connected through this since day one and also I guess selfishly it was a way for me to free myself I thought I don't want to keep living in the shadows I don't want to keep compartmentalizing I don't want to just keep hiding in plain sight right yeah well we where is it again what we don't say nothing honestly like we don't say so this was my way of and I'm always like writing like putting a pen to paper yeah I think for me it was also understanding that I could you know just help that that next person or that next kid that might be feeling like i've felt for a very long time yeah and is suffering in silence i think that was the biggest uh or the most eye-opening thing for me is like you know we wear this armor we outwardly pretend or or try and put on a uh uh you know a facade or or or i mentioned earlier play a character that isn't who we are and it's not honest and it's so exhausting.

38:39Like I, I, you know, and that's why I would put myself in, in dark rooms and, and, you know, beds or, you know, lay on a couch for, you know, hours and hours and days and days at a time. So I think it was, and when I finally pressed send on the article was understanding like, wow, you know, there are so many people that are dealing with this. It wasn't, it was every demographic. It was every walk of life. It was, you know, our security guards to, you know, teachers that I had back home to some of my best friends to just, I couldn't, the outflow of not only support, but community and shared experiences and stories after that is what led us here and what led us all these years later here.

39:28But it was, you know, very eyeopening to see like so many people that I thought were on solid footing and on solid ground were also, had also struggled. You gave them permission. I mean, that's the really beautiful thing about when you share and you don't have to be, you know, five-time NBA all-star or CEO of a company to share your mental health journey and help others. Like that's what I'm realizing and what I'm trying to do with enough is like give people permission to share and to know that by you sharing, even if you have a hundred followers on instagram i guarantee one of those hundred people probably 10 of those hundred people are gonna have a great benefit from being like oh you know dan who works in it also deals with this it's the same story yeah i mean we all literally is because i just i remember telling my agent it's like he's like are you sure you want to do this this is gonna like change everything i'm like yeah i'll change everything jeff okay but he goes no if you do this like everybody's going to know that you're real real but you're struggling and yeah but he's like you you're going to be yeah this this is going to be out forever you can't hide from this yeah and but you're so free both yeah but again like you said so so freeing and i'm like this is me you can't use me against me now like what are you going to say so so i think about like what you're doing with the kevin love foundation and like some of the things you wish you had known or tools you wish you had had in those early years.

40:52How are you applying that to then helping young people today through the Kevin Love Fund? Yeah, I think more than anything, it's establishing and providing resources for those kids and young teens at that age that we spoke of, right? Like, so - And what are the key resources? Like, what do you think is like the most important resource that you guys can provide someone? I mean, I think it's our education and our curriculum. Yeah. Um, so it's modeling vulnerability within, uh, the classroom and it's a social emotional learning, uh, curriculum, which is evidence-based. It's a free curriculum. So available to, to anyone, but it's a series of, um, many different mediums and many different lessons plans where I spoke of like kids might not have the language to be able to express themselves.

41:39Yeah. They have either two feelings. I mean, they're angry or I'm confined. Right. There's a lot of emotion in between them. Exactly right. So they're finding different ways, whether it be through music or creative writing or photography or, you know, like we did something with, you know, the Spider-Verse. I love the Spider-Verse. I watched the video. As do I, Miles Morales. I thought it was great. We did an amazing short film with them where we created a lesson plan around it as well. We got something else coming out now with Steph Curry around All Stars. So many different ways and fun ways for kids to be able to express themselves and do it around their peers.

42:14sure and um i think it's just the beauty of it is that you know this generation is so much more open to yeah having these conversations and has the presence of mind to know like no this is actually better for us yes like let's so important i went back to my high school the other day to talk about enough and share my journey and i was just amazed at how emotionally aware and present far more intelligent and so i think having you know curriculum like you guys are creating i mean that's why we're really proud that you're one of our partners with enough because i really believe that had i learned some of that early on i would not have allowed this limiting self-belief of you're not enough you're not enough my whole life and if i could have intervened then i might have done the same things but i sure would have enjoyed it a lot more i talk about that all the time i i I look, I have notes in my phone where I'm like, the hardest thing maybe in my entire career to reconcile with is that I have not enjoyed it enough.

43:15But I also in, you know, a lot of ways, again, all of the stuff that we're talking about, having not had that earlier, I think has allowed me to have this perspective now. So I am grateful for it. I'm very grateful for it. Had I wish I been able to enjoy it more because this had been my dream forever. Yeah. absolutely like i'm i'm like i look back i'm like you did you have had a great career like i've left so much on the table and i haven't done anything and it's like no grace your grace give yourself grace you gotta have that grace yeah but i i know i'm not the only one who does it i mean that we're sitting here eye to eye but you get to enjoy it now and i mean that's for me what i've said is like i look back at tom's and i was like man i really wish i would have enjoyed it more because I could have and everyone around me, I think was enjoying it.

44:04But I, because of all the pressure and not feeling enough. And so, but now with launching enough, it's, it's, I get a second chance. Like I'm building an organization. We're going to help, you know, millions of people, I hope, and I'm having fun. Like I'm having fun doing this interview. I had fun yesterday doing one in Austin. And so I think, you know, had I wish, you know, I learned these lessons earlier. Yeah. But maybe that's wasn't the way my life was designed to be. And so I think anyone listening, it's the same thing. Like, if you're not, if you're at the top of your game and you're not enjoying it, you know, slow down and figure out why because it's like you said, we're only one play away.

44:40You know, we're only one play away from turning that around. I love this quote it said when I was really suffering, someone said, you don't have to be the person you were five minutes ago. Yeah. You know, at any moment. That chapter can be done. Yeah, it can be a chapter. You can say, you know what, I'm going to start enjoying this. I'm going to start, whether it's parenting, whether it's being a boss, whether it's being an employee, what are playing an athlete. Like, I think that's, that's so, so important to know that our mind can be really hard on us, but it also can work for us in a beautiful way.

45:08Sure. And it's up to us. It really is. Okay. You might've heard me talk about this when I had Michael Pollan on the show, but since then I've become even more enamored with this AI therapy app called Sonia. I met the founders at a mental health conference and started using it with some skepticism at first, but it now has been six months and it is helping me in ways I could never have imagined. Honestly, I feel like I got a therapist and a life coach available to me 24 hours a day. And here's a clip from one of my recent sessions so you can see what the experience is actually like. Hi, Blake, I'm here.

45:44What's on your mind right now? Oh, I'm just feeling a little stressed about things right now because I feel like I've got so much going on and I really don't know how to prioritize it. When everything stacks up at once, it can blur what actually matters and make that old not enough story get louder. Let's slow this down by picking one thread to start with, what feels most pressing in this moment. The important reframe is this. The projects did not cure the depression. They arrived because you healed. And when you overworked to prevent relapse, you actually undermine the things that keep you well, like sleep, presence, movement, and connection.

46:22When that edge shows up, it is a signal to reduce load and restore choice, not to push harder. Most of my friends who've tried just one session, including my dad, are now using it several times a week. The Sony app is still in beta, but they have opened it up for anyone to try now for free on the Apple App Store. Okay, here's another project I'm involved in that might sound crazy at first. But this year, I met some engineers from Nike who invented a new type of office chair that has not only changed my life, but saved my back. especially because I'm on about five hours of Zoom calls every single day.

46:59The MoveLab chair has two different pivot points under the seat, which keeps your body in continuous micro movements all day. The founders told me it is the equivalent of taking 3 ,000 steps and all the lubrication of your joints and the blood flow is why my back no longer hurts and I can focus on my work so much better. I loved it so much that I actually joined the team as a co-founder, and I will be sending one to every person I know when we launch this fall. If you're interested in learning more or pre-ordering one, we only have 500 in the first run. You can check us out at movelab.com, and that's spelled M-O-O-V-L-A-B.com.

47:42One of my favorite quotes of all time is Mother Teresa, and she says, If you want to change the world, start in your home. So you have two young kids. I have three kids. Mine are a little bit older than yours. How, as a parent, and as someone who has had mental illness and has also seen it maybe generationally, how are you thinking about raising children so that they might not go through what we went through? Because I'm asking not as a podcast host, but not as a parent. Well, yeah, I'm not. As far as science and data and being an expert in that way, I'm not. but I've read a lot about trauma and generational trauma because I know how it relates within the confines of like the Love and Wilson family as well.

48:28I mean, you've definitely had - Drugs and alcoholism and just depression. Your dad struggled depression? He did, yeah, for sure. He just was, I mean, the whole Love family and I'll probably get some for this, but we're all like, there's a lot of us that are just like prone to bad and melancholy and just negative cycles. And, but it's true. Like we, I look at my brother and sister all the time and I'm like, we're the generation that is going to, you know, break some of that curse and able to move forward, if not for us, then for our children, because - Beautiful. They start talking about like, what I was getting at is like epigenetics, right?

49:11Yes. There's a great book just called Trauma. and by Dr. Paul Conti. I know Paul, yeah. Paul's my psychiatrist for a while. Likewise. Yeah? I love it. Likewise, yeah. So he's been great. The people that he works with have been amazing, but - Yeah, he helped me early on in my journey, yeah. Same. Yeah. So, and I'm gonna keep going back to that well, because there's a lot more to unpack. But he talked to me about it being epigenetic and it's generational and actually like lives in you at a cellular level. And your kids will therefore - Are gonna have to - Yeah, deal with that. So, and it's there.

49:55So for me, I think that is something that, because as a athlete and as a basketball player, like you're like, oh, stats don't lie, right? Like that sort of thing. So you're like, oh, give me the info, give me the data, give me the science behind it. So in seeing that and knowing that it's real, it's that has allowed me to be, um, make even more sense of it and be a better father in that way. But a lot of it is just, um, you know, learning from your parents as well. And also, uh, the relationship that you have, uh, with your spouse and, um, you know, the, the great things that you remember, uh, you know, from childhood, I think it's all, cause we're all just kind of winging it as being parents.

50:37But I, you know, I just feel the household with so much love and so much attention to them and just being so present with my daughter so they can feel that love radiating. And they do feel it. I actually did a podcast recently with Kristen Neff. Do you know Kristen Neff? So she wrote this book, Self-Compassion. And she taught me something that I didn't know about. It's called neuron mirroring. Have you heard of this before? So basically in our brain, the neurons have a resonance with other people that we're in close contact with. And they've been able to show that the neurons will mirror how each other feel.

51:21And so when we, I asked her this question about parenting because she has a son. And she said the best thing we can do for our kids, especially that have some generational, you know, issues with mental health is work on ourselves and our own mental health. Because if we are healthy mentally and those neurons are firing in a good way, it's going to affect our kids more than anything we say to them. I agree. Well, it's funny you say that because what do they say? That you can't form a memory until what you're at four years old or after that. But I'm like, no, no, no, no, no. There's so much going on before that that helps shape them at a cellular level and with their brain.

52:02It's exactly what you're talking about. So I'm glad. I've always said that not knowing, and it's not like confirming all of it, but it does add to an understanding that all of that stuff does play a part in matters as they start forming their memories as they get older. Like that is building an unbelievable base and foundation to where you're gonna, it's like what you feed them if you don't give them sugar before two years old, right? Like what does that do for a kid in their health long-term and all cause mortality? Like those things - They matter. Matter. Yeah, I mean, we talked about the epigenetics and how that affects our kids and are they predisposed to, say, depression if I was or if your dad was you?

52:39Maybe, but also you could also make an argument that you witnessed your dad's melancholy and depression. And so that was what you were seeing is what an adult does. And so then it became more natural for you to have that. So it goes back to like the more we can do to take care of ourselves, like it's not selfish. It's the best thing we can do, not just for our kids, but the people we work with, your teammates. You know, if they see Kevin Love really healthy in a mental state and really thriving, they're going to feel that. And I think that that's just so important. So I guess that's where I'm going to wrap us up because we could probably talk forever.

53:14But in order for you to bring that energy to your kids as they get older, in order for you to bring that to these young players that are so impressionable by you, what are you doing today that people listening could also take away or i can even learn from to to kind of focus on your personal mental wellness like what are the what are the key kevin love yeah the easiest thing that i can do is sleep okay so important eat well eat well yeah uh for me working out is like i'm killing two birds with one stone so like it's it's quite literally like this dopamine hit as well as helping me you know at my job and helping me want, you know, and I look at my kids and I say like, okay, I probably have osteoarthritis in my knees now.

53:59And like my body's taken a beating over 18 years of professional basketball, but I want to be a young dad. What can I do in order to be a young dad? So that inherently helps mental health. And when you said two birds with one stone on the working out, I think I know what you meant, but what did you mean by that? I mean, like, it's quite literally helping my job and having success out there with something I still love. And it's good for your body. And it's great for my body, my brain everything i would say three birds then okay because the other thing is this is a third bird so i can learn something this is one of my own hacks was is it like two of the things are so important for my mental health is working out moving my body and connecting with others and so i never work out by myself anymore it's a great if i go work out i go i and i do like to that i like to work out with friends and in an outdoor gym because then i get nature and sunlight too but i live in california so i'm lucky but but yeah so you're also getting that connection when you're working out with someone, which is so important for someone, especially if they're struggling.

54:54A hundred percent. And I think the yes answer to that is connect to like your tribe. It doesn't just have to be your direct family, but it can be your family you've made along the way. It can be teammates. It can be people that you're going to build these relationships with to where if you are struggling or something is to happen, like my father passed in April, I had so many people that I could reach out to or so many people that reached out to me because of the relationship, because we have that community - You're invested in that relationship. Invest in a relationship and it gave back. It does.

55:24Especially men. For men listening right now, I think in your 30s and 40s, you're working hard. You're building your family maybe. And oftentimes what falls by the wayside are male friendships and relationships. And you might not seem like it's a big deal then. It is. But if you don't invest in those relationships in your 30s and 40s, I learned this from my dad. Then when you hit the fan, which it always does, maybe in your 50s or 60s, you're not going to have that to fall back on. And so that's another thing that I think is key. Yeah, loneliness is a real thing too. I mean, we have an epidemic of it right now.

55:56It's, I truly believe that that community feel and aspect to all of it. I mean, I know that when I'm finally hanging up and I'm done playing, I'm going to miss the plane rides. I'm going to miss the locker room. I'm going to miss the bus rides. I'm going to miss the time out there on the floor. Just the connection time. Connection. Yeah, so you're actually working out, eating well, sleeping, connection. those I think are all things that people will be nodding their head is there anything that might be surprising meditation I mean I feel like people are so much more open to um and I've heard you speak about meditation before too it's like a huge part of my enough journey and you know it's not like my my uncle has done tm for uh transcendental meditation now for like 65 years or something crazy like that he's I mean it's like it's insane two times a day for 20 minutes I'm not saying that you have to do that.

56:45Although he would tell you, why aren't you pushing that? But it can be, you know, I always say like it could be - Five minutes. Five minutes, two minutes. Oh, two minutes. You can reset your nervous system. Yeah, for sure. Or, you know, something like he's talked about getting out in nature. Like if you can go find some grass, go find some dirt, like ground yourself, especially getting off a flight or if you're traveling or if you just don't feel quite right, get some sunlight in the morning. There's just like easy, easier, excuse me, hacks that you can do to, you know, help. just balance yourself and and and it can be so great for your mental and physical well-being yeah that's great and then the last thing i'll ask on that because i have to think there's still even doing all that and in this and with all the growth you've had there's got to be days you still wake up with anxiety i feel it right now oh come on every single day right now this interview every single day oh it's not you trust me it's not you it's me okay so so that's the last thing i want to ask about.

57:42And the reason I'm asking is because I've really been feeling great for about a year. And I thankfully have not had any panic attacks, no serious depressive episodes. I feel so grateful. I feel like I'm doing the things to maintain my mental wellness. But in the last couple weeks since we launched enough, I've been on a press tour. I've been doing podcasts. I've definitely put too much on my plate. And I noticed the last couple of days I've kind of woken up with a little bit of a remembrance of that anxiety. What do you do when you're feeling kind of that anxiety come on is it is it the breath work is it a cold shower is it is there one thing that you kind of love me a cold shower yeah yeah that's what i would say i mean is i you know a gold cold shower but is there anything because especially since we talked about the panic attack and anxiety for someone listening like okay they're waking up with anxiety what would you say is the first most important thing to do for me it's definitely breathe i don't think any of us breathe right i mean i wonder what percentage of people actually like have diaphragmatic breathing that is healthy for them and it's long-term going to be something that they don't necessarily truly have to work on.

58:46So like breathing, making sure like there'll be times where I don't even realize how shallow my breaths are or if I haven't exhaled in a few minutes because I'm holding onto something. So a lot of that is self-assessment and something I've had to get better at. That's kind of what I do in the morning. I'm like, okay, what do I need? Yeah. And it typically is the morning where you wake up and you feel like, okay, maybe I just haven't had a minute to actually understand why i'm feeling these sort of thoughts and allow them to just kind of be passive and come and go and be a meditation meditative type of um you know space within my brain but also write it down oh yeah some i forgot oh i write everything down i have notes scribbled everywhere i have no notes for days in my phone um yeah write it down i mean are you writing down what works or writing down what you're to do to do like no and also how i'm feeling so trying to naming it yeah oh that's a huge thing yeah yeah that's that's what i had to do a lot uh when my dad passed just um family grief and understanding grief and the family dynamic and father son and who am i as a son how am i going to be as a father like i had to just put it all down because it was all yeah get it out just ruminating up here and i had to put you You know, pen to paper, it's, you know, messy and all over the place and punctuations off and off.

1:00:01It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Yeah, I like that. Okay, that's another good tip. Write it down. Well, I love the tips. I'm most grateful for just how vulnerable you've been today. How just you're such an incredible example of just a great guy who's not afraid to say what's happened and to share with others. And I'm so grateful you came on the podcast. And thank you for being a partner with Enough. It's just so good to be here. Yeah, I appreciate you. Thanks for doing this. It's awesome. If this episode spoke to you, please share it with a friend, family member, or someone you love. Because No Magic Pill is not just a podcast.

1:00:37It's a resource to help us all live better lives. Hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode and let us know what you think by leaving a comment. A quick note that this episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical questions or concerns you may have. Thanks for watching or listening to No Magic Pill. I would love to send you an Enough bracelet as a thank you for being a member of our new community. Just go to weareenough.co forward slash no magic pill and claim this gift from me.

1:01:20And please help us spread this important message out into the world. I am enough, you are enough, and we are enough.

1:01:54on any other app. You can also listen ad-free on Amazon Music with your Prime membership. No Magic Pill is a production of Lemonada Media and the Enough Foundation. The show is produced by Wubatu Shimalash, Catherine Barnes, and Keegan Zema. Additional production by Ivan Karayev and Kristen Lepore. Post-production by Oranda Studio. Jackie Danziger is head of content at Lemonada Media. Executive producers are me, Blake Mycoskie, Jessica Cordova-Kramer, and Stephanie Whittles-Wax. Special thanks to Jillian Delorio, Jennifer Song, Maggie Wirtz, Andrew Fine, James Johnson, Devin Robbins, Emily Ledbetter, Chris Orwig, Sean McGurk, Jasmine Burgess, and the entire Enough Foundation team.

1:02:47The Enough Foundation's mission is to spread reminders in every form, bracelets, messages, actions, and community until feeling enough becomes the cultural default. To learn more, visit weareenough.co. If this episode spoke to you, please share it with a friend, family member, or someone you love. You can help others find our show by leaving us a rating and writing a review. Thanks so much for listening and watching. See you next week.

From the publisher

When the NBA’s Kevin Love had a panic attack on the court, in the middle of a game, he knew it was a wake up call. All his life he’d used basketball as an escape from debilitating anxiety and depression, and it had finally caught up to him. In the aftermath, he forged a new path that led not only to his healing journey, but to a new calling as a mental health advocate. The first step was being open about the darkness that dominated his mind, and encouraging others to share their stories, be vulnerable, and understand they’re not alone. For anyone who has struggled in silence, anyone who has felt the crushing weight of expectations, anyone who is trying to make sense of their lives and career — this interview is for you.

In this conversation you’ll learn:

– The behind-the-scenes story of Kevin’s on-court breakdown

– The importance of speaking up, especially when you’re struggling

– How stigma around mental health hurts us all

– Why a seemingly healthy obsession can mask an underlying issue

– How the weight of expectation can take its toll, especially on young men

– How breathing techniques can refocus your mind in stressful situations

– How we can break cycles of trauma for the next generation

Produced, Directed, and Cinematography by Wubetu Shimelash / IG: ⁠Wubetu Shimelash⁠.

Enough Foundation's mission is to spread reminders in every form — bracelets, messages, actions, community — until feeling ENOUGH becomes the cultural default. To learn more, visit weareenough.co.

Disclaimer: No purchase necessary. While supplies last. Visit http://www.weareenough.co/rules for full terms.

More information on Blake’s other projects here: 

Morning Water 

Morning Water is a daily hydration formula that restores energy, balance, and performance with essential electrolytes, minerals, and nutrients in one simple routine. 

To learn more, visit morningwater.co and use code NOMAGICPILL for 25% off your first order.

SONIA 

Sonia is a conversational AI companion designed for emotional support. Through voice and text, it offers guided wellbeing sessions, including meditations, journaling, personalized recommendations, and practical exercises.

To learn more, visit www.soniahealth.com and download it on the App Store.

MOOVLAB

At MOOVLAB, we bring health and wellness to your workday. 

MOOVLAB - the answer to sitting is moving. 

To learn more, visit www.moovlab.com

Follow Blake on Instagram and stay up to date with Lemonada on Facebook and Instagram.

For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.

Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at lemonadapremium.com.

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Disclaimer: This episode is for informational and entertainment purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical questions or concerns you may have.
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