My name is Larry Sanders. At 26, I walked away from my NBA career as a starting center for the Milwaukee Bucks,
not because I could not play or due to injury, but because I was drowning in anxiety and depression. I made the
hard decision to choose to save my life over my career, a decision that changed everything.
I learned that true strength is not about powering through pain; it is about having the courage to face it and heal
from it. Mental health is not a weakness to hide; it is a foundation to build our lives on.

 

MY MISSION IS CLEAR:

I exist to shatter the stigma surrounding mental health, especially for athletes and young people who are taught that
being vulnerable and needing help equals failure. Through my work with GFI insurance company, I am educating
athletes about protecting not just their finances and bodies, but also their minds. Through my youth basketball camps in
Arizona, I am teaching 7–18-year-old kids that mental wellness is equally as important as physical health and
wellness.
I believe every young person deserves to know:
• Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness
• Your mental health matters more than any game, score, or expectation
• You are so much more than your performance

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THE FUTURE I'M BUILDING:

I am building a future where athletes do not feel like they must suffer in silence. I am building a world where young
people have access to the tools and support they need, before they reach a moment of crisis. I am creating a
standard for mental health education to coincide with physical education. I am building a future where seeking help
is celebrated, not stigmatized.
This is not just advocacy; this is a revolution. That revolution starts with each of us choosing courage over comfort,
truth over performance, and healing over hiding.
Join me. Your story matters. Your healing matters. You matter.
- Larry Sanders, Former NBA Player, Mental Health Advocate, Entrepreneur