Miami Heat's Mario Chalmers Says He Battled Depression During NBA Hiatus

Originally posted on FanNation Inside The Heat
By Shandel Richardson | Last updated 1/6/22

When Mario Chalmers was at the peak of his NBA career, he was one of the most confident and brash players in the league.

So, naturally, it was tough for him to deal with when no teams were willing to take a chance on him once he was out of the league. In a recent interview with The Undefeated, Chalmers spoke of how difficult it was being unwanted.

“Mentally, I went into a little depression,” Chalmers said in the interview. “I’m not going to lie. Ever since I [was a] kid I always had basketball. Not having basketball, no teams calling and nobody wanting me was definitely hard.”

Chalmers was the Heat's second-round pick in 2008 after leading the Kansas to the NCAA national title. He was an impact player with the Heat since his rookie season and a key contributor during the LeBron James years when Miami played in four straight NBA Finals.

After being traded to Memphis in 2015, he found himself out of the league by 2018. He bounced around overseas and the G League before finally receiving another opportunity with the Heat on a 10-day contract.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity," Chalmers told reporters after he signed. "Whatever happens, happens. I definitely want to thank Pat [Riley, the Heat’s president] and the rest of the Heat organization for just giving me this opportunity to come back.”

The complete article in The Undefeated can be read here.

This article first appeared on FanNation Inside The Heat and was syndicated with permission.

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