Ex-NBA star Nate Robinson wants to return to the NBA but before he mounts a real run at the league, he’s opening up on how the words of a former coach made him depressed and forced him to seek therapy.
In a candid interview with BleacherReport.com, Robinson says the NBA made him depressed and recalled a particular incident where Knicks former coach Larry Brown referred to him regularly as “the little shit.”
“The NBA gave me my depression,” Robinson says. “I’ve never been a depressed person in my life.”
While in therapy, Robinson questioned himself and God. He wondered if he should have pursued football instead. He opened up about struggles few knew about, like the time, he said, Brown allegedly referred to him daily as “the little shit.” On another occasion, Robinson came into Brown’s office, crying, telling his coach to stop demeaning him. Ten minutes later, in front of the team, Brown called Robinson “the little shit” again and shared that he had cried.
(When asked about the nature of these interactions, Brown said: “I don’t have any recollection. I don’t, I don’t know … I don’t know what I called him, to be honest with you. If I did that, shame on me. I would feel terrible about that. That’s not who I am, but I don’t want to dispute Nate.”)
Robinson, who is appearing in the soon to be released film Uncle Drew, is hoping to fast-track his way back to the NBA via Ice Cube’s Big 3 league and the Drew League.