NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he's noticed that players feel isolated and anxious, he told the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference on Friday.
“When I meet with them, what surprises me is that they're truly unhappy," Silver said, according to Boston.com's Nicole Yang. "A lot of these young men are generally unhappy."
Silver added, "We are living in a time of anxiety," according to ESPN. "I think it's a direct result of social media."
Silver suggested it's a generational issue that's not limited to athletes. Arguing that Jordan-era teams benefited from more camaraderie, he quoted Isiah Thomas: "Championships are won on the bus." Now, Silver pointed out, players are always wearing headphones.
"(Players) are isolated, and they have their heads down," the 56-year-old said, according to Yang.
The NBPA launched a new mental health and wellness program in May 2018 to assist players with mental health challenges and issues. Over the past year, stars Kevin Love and DeMar DeRozan have spoken publicly about their own battles with depression and anxiety.
