Who is Tyrell Terry and why did he retire aged just 22: All you need to know

Former Dallas Mavericks and Memphis Grizzlies guard Tyrell Terry announced his surprise decision to retire at the age of 22, on Thursday. The former No. 31 pick by Dallas in 2020 broke the news via an Instagram post. Terry cited mental health reasons as the primary factor in his decision.

In his post, Terry described the crippling anxiety that he suffered from throughout his brief NBA career. He then explained how his suffering led him to lose his passion for the game of basketball.

“This message is a very difficult one to share and an emotional one to write. Today I decided to let go of the game that has formed a large part of my identity. Something that has guided my path since I took my first steps,” Terry said.

He added,

"While I have achieved amazing accomplishments, created unforgettable memories, and made lifelong friends...I’ve also experienced the darkest times of my life. To the point where instead of building me up, it began to destroy me.

“Where I began to despise and question the value of myself, much more than those surrounding me could ever see or know. Intrusive thoughts, waking up nauseous, and finding myself struggling to take normal breaths because of the rock that would sit on my chest that seemed to weigh much more than I could carry.

“This is just a brief description of the anxiety this sport has caused me, and while I’m grateful for every door it has opened for me, I can’t continue this fight any longer for something I have fallen out of love with,” Terry continued.

Tyrell Terry’s brief NBA career

Former Dallas Mavericks guard Tyrell Terry

Tyrell Terry appeared in just 11 games for the Dallas Mavericks in his rookie season in 2020-2021. Terry averaged 1.0 point, 0.5 rebounds, 0.5 assists, and 0.5 steals in 5.1 minutes per game on 31.3% shooting. He then took a two-month leave of absence, which he later explained was for mental health reasons.

"I was dealing with some mental health stuff that runs in my family," Terry said.

"I wasn't really aware it was creeping up on me. It hit me kind of serious," Terry continued.

Tyrell Terry was later released by Dallas during the 2021-2022 preseason after missing another four games due to personal reasons.

However, the Mavericks let it be known that there were no hard feelings. The Mavericks called Terry “Family for life” in a tweet from the team’s official Twitter account.

Terry signed a 10-day contract with the Memphis Grizzlies in December 2021 after being released by Dallas. This resulted in a two-way contract from Memphis in January 2022. Terry, on the other hand, only played three minutes in two games for Memphis last season. He only made one shot and scored two points. The Grizzlies later waived him this offseason.

Tyrell Terry now retires with a total of just 13 NBA games played. Given that he was a second-round pick, expectations weren’t too high for him. However, Terry still referenced the fact that he will likely be considered a draft bust, in his Instagram message. He then apologized for letting fans down and said he hopes his failure in the NBA will lead him to achieve different successes in life.

“To most, I will be forever known as a bust, a failure, or a waste of talent. While those may be true when it comes to basketball, it is the biggest failures in life that lead to the greatest success. There is more for me out in this vast world and I am extremely excited to be able to explore that.” Terry said.

“I am eternally grateful to those who have believed in me and apologize to those that I have let down. But I’m headed down a different path now, one that will hopefully lead to happiness and being able to love myself again,” Terry continued.

For more on Tyrell Terry's retirement, click here.

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