NBA Guard Tyrell Terry Retires at 22, Cites ‘Anxiety This Sport Has Caused Me’

The free-agent guard appeared in 13 career games.

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NBA free-agent guard Tyrell Terry announced his retirement from professional basketball in a post on his personal Instagram page Thursday.

The No. 31 pick in the 2020 NBA draft from the Mavericks cited anxiety as a key reason for walking away from the game at the age of 22.

“Today I decided to let go of the game that has formed a large part of my identity,” Terry wrote. “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 some of the darkest times of my life … to the point where instead of building me up, it began to destroy me. Where I began to despise and question the value of myself, much more that those surrounding me could ever see or know. Intrusive thoughts, waking up nauseous, and finding myself struggling to take normal breaths because of the rock that would sit on my chest that seemed to weigh much more than I could carry. 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.”

In his two years in the NBA, Terry appeared in just 13 games with the Mavericks and Grizzlies and shot 35.3% from the floor.