Depression and anxiety might have played a part in Larry Sanders’s recent contract buyout in Milwaukee.
Sanders and the Bucks completed a contract buyout last week, making the 26-year-old center a free agent. However, it is doubtful that he will be back on the court this season.
In a video on The Players Tribune, Sanders explained why he was walking away from the game, reports MSN. He checked into Rogers Memorial Hospital in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, to enter a “program for anxiety, depression and mood disorders.”
Depression is a mood disorder that causes persistent feelings of sadness and lost interest. It is not something that you can "snap out" of, and it may require long-term treatment.
Sanders said the stay taught him a lot about himself, what’s important, and where he wants to devote his time and energy.
Sanders, the No. 15 overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft, failed his fourth marijuana test this season, which resulted in a 10-game suspension.
In the video, Sanders said he turned to pot later in his career to deal with stress and anxiety.
Sanders averaged 9.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game in the 2012 season. The Bucks rewarded him with a four-year, $44 million deal. Sanders is reportedly walking away with roughly half of the deal.
