After the Lakers won game 7 of the 2010 NBA championships, NBA player Metta World Peace was interviewed and he made a comment that received much attention. He thanked his psychologist and discussed how she has helped him, saying “there’s so much emotion going on during the playoffs, and she helped me relax”. This was a monumental moment in professional sports and in the mental health community. A professional athlete was vulnerable about his mental health during a high-profile event.
More and more professional athletes are acknowledging the importance of the mental aspect of the game. More than half of all NBA teams have psychologists working full time or as a consultant on call. NBA player Metta World Peace said that if he didn’t work with a psychologist during the 2010 playoffs, the Lakers might have one fewer championship victories. He is quoted saying, “I wouldn’t have been able to deal with certain things and I don’t think I would have been as effective in that game without my psychologist”.
Psychologist Don Kalkstein has been on staff for the Dallas Mavericks for over 15 years. Kalkstein discusses how players score 20 points in one game and then are expected to get the same in the next, despite troubles in their personal life. Although NBA players receive immense physical training, players often lack mental skills training, says Kalkstein. To help eliminate pressure and anxiety, Kalkstein teaches players how to focus more on the process. Instead of thinking about, “I have to make this shot”, the thought process should be more process-oriented, such as “I am going to catch and shoot, I’m going to get myself in a good position”.
Another intervention that Kalkstein uses is called the concentration grid, wherein players cross off numbers 0-to-100 on a grid in sequential order as quickly as they can. During this task Kalkstein distracts them. This allows them to develop extremely sharp focus. Kalkstein talks about how players are often told, “You have to focus”, but they are never taught exactly how or what to do, and this tactic is tailored to do just that.
Psychologists within the NBA do not only deal with aspects related to game itself. They have also been reported to help players, especially younger players, deal with the challenges of being away from family and friends, interpersonal skills, and basic life skills. NBA player, Antawn Jamison, has spoken public about how having a psychologist as a rookie helped him deal with being away family, understanding where the coach is coming from, dealing with the ups and downs, and even figuring out how to pay bills.