John Wall shares his mental health journey, NBA outlines its 2022-23 COVID policies, and LeBron James talks playing with his sons in shared Sports Illustrated cover story.

Finish the week out strong!

JOHN WALL

John Wall Shares his Mental Health Journey

John Wall has had a very tough few years, and he bravely spoke about his struggles at an event honoring his late mother. Wall referred to this period as the “darkest place I’ve ever been in.” During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Wall was not only battling his Achilles injury, but he was dealing with the deaths of his mother and grandmother. Things were so hard that Wall admitted considering taking his own life. 

Wall spoke about the importance of getting right mentally in helping overcome these challenges. He said: “I went to find a therapist. A lot of people think, ‘I don’t need help, I can get through it at any time,’ but you’ve got to be true to yourself and find out what’s best for you.” He also credits his team, the mother of his two children, and his sons for being his support system.

Wall is ready to make an impact on the contending Clippers and is relishing the chance to play basketball again. Mental health is something that everyone deals with, and we greatly appreciate John Wall for being so vulnerable and inspiring others to seek help.

NBA & COVID

NBA Outlines its 2022-23 COVID Policies

The NBA recently sent a memo to teams regarding its Health and Safety protocols for the upcoming season regarding COVD-19. Here are some of the notable changes:

All unvaccinated players or team personnel must submit to weekly COVID-19 testing this season. Exceptions may be made in instances when an unvaccinated individual has “recently recovered” from COVID-19. If you're vaccinated, however, testing will not be required except when “directed by their team physician or a league physician or government authority.” 

Players and personnel will still be required to get tested and report if they exhibit any COVID-19 symptoms, as well as provide any positive or inconclusive test results. These people are also expected to report if someone in their household tests positive.

Another change is that facemasks will not be required, but they will be recommended when players and personnel are indoors and in markets where government officials classify the coronavirus levels as high.

LEBRON JAMES

LeBron James Talks Playing With Sons in Shared Sports Illustrated Cover Story

The entire James family recently contributed to a recent Sports Illustrated story surrounding the family and their basketball future, where naturally they touched upon the idea of playing together in the NBA. Interestingly, LeBron revealed he hadn’t discussed it with his wife, Savannah, or son Bronny, before making his bold announcement. James said he “put it in the air because I like to talk to the basketball gods out there and see if things can come to fruition. I’ve always set out goals in my career, talked to the basketball gods, and they’ve listened to all of them. Hopefully, they can listen to this last one, too.”

No father-son duo has ever played together in the NBA, although it’s happened once in the NHL and twice in MLB. LeBron is hoping to play long enough for Bronny to make the league, assuming he continues his development and becomes a legitimate draft prospect. He’s also not ruling out sticking around for his youngest son, Bryce, who, at the earliest, will be eligible by 2027.

It's a tall order for sure, but if there’s anyone who can pull off such an incredible feat, it's LeBron James. 

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