NBA players are some of the most physically fit and impressive athletes. It’s easy to assume they’re equally mentally and emotionally fit, but that’s not always true! Some NBA players suffer from mental illnesses such as OCD.
NBA players with OCD include Ray Allen, Lance Allred, Royce White, and possibly LaBron James. While there may be more players with OCD, these are the only ones who have made their mental illness public.
1. Ray Allen
This article will explore the players known to have OCD. I will also include a list of players who suffer from other mental illnesses.
Ray Allen is a Hall of Famer whose career began in 1996. When he retired in 2014, he accomplished the following.
- 2 NBA championships
- 10 All-Star appearances
- 2,973 three-point shots
- 24,505 points total
Allen had admitted publicly to having undiagnosed OCD and using his compulsive urges to perfect his game. Some of his OCD symptoms include a compulsive need to pick up litter and the desire for consistent routines and seating arrangements with his teammates.
2. Lance Allred
Lance Allred became a professional player in 2005 and retired in 2016. Notable achievements in his career include the following.
- 2-time NBA D-League All-Star
- First deaf NBA player
- Keynote Motivational Speaker
- Bestselling Author
Allred was born with only 20% hearing. He suffers from OCD and PTSD from growing up in a polygamist cult until he was a teen. Like Ray Allen, he used his OCD to his benefit and perfected his basketball skills, which is how he achieved his dream of being in the NBA.
3. Royce White
Royce White had a very short career in the NBA, consisting of 3 games and only 9 minutes on the court.
His career was short because he suffered from OCD and an anxiety disorder, which interfered with his ability to attend practices and fulfill contractual obligations. He also had a fear of flying, which made travel for games very difficult.
As a result of his struggles, White advocated for improved mental health policies for NBA players. He said there should be a better balance between supporting players’ medical needs and team obligations.
4. LeBron James
LeBron James, who plays small forward for the L.A. Lakers, joined the NBA in 2003. He is considered one of the best NBA athletes of all time.
Some of his many achievements include the following.
- Youngest player ever to win NBA Rookie of the year
- 3-time finals MVP award
- 4-time NBA MVP
- 3-time Olympics player
- All-time leading scorer in NBA history
- 38,411 points total as of early 2023
While it is not confirmed that LabRon has been diagnosed with OCD, another Laker’s player, Jared Dudley, said in an interview, “Bron has OCD, where [his room is] super clean and very nice and spacious.”
NBA Players With Other Mental Illnesses
Knowing how many or which NBA players have mental illnesses is impossible. Many people choose not to seek treatment or diagnosis, and those who do often choose not to speak about it publicly.
However, the following players have confirmed their diagnoses publicly or spoken about seeking psychiatric care.
- Keyon Dooling: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Luther Wright: Bipolar Disorder
- Stephon Marbury: Depression
- Metta World Peace, a.k.a. Ron Artest – No known diagnosis, but has been openly seeking psychiatric care for anger issues and possible depression.
- Delonte West: Bipolar Disorder
- Eddie Griffin: Depression
- Larry Sanders: Depression