Kevin Love Quotes Steph Curry, DeMar DeRozan As Trailblazers For Athlete Mental Wellness

Kevin Love praises his other NBA stars for using their platform to speak about mental health.

Jun 6, 2018; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers center Kevin Love (0) controls the ball against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) during the first quarter in game three of the 2018 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Even the greatest have their moments of weakness.

Miami Heat veteran Kevin Love knows this, which fuels his efforts to better mental wellness among athletes. He praises stars Steph Curry and DeMar DeRozan as trailblazers in this league-wide advocacy. Curry, even as the greatest shooter of all time, has been outspoken about performance anxiety as an athlete.

“He talked about performance anxiety, and I think that transcends," Love said to Miami Heat On SI. "It’s not only in sport, life imitates art. Providing evidence-based tools to manage that stress and the pressure of competition, I think applies in the game of life and the game we see on the floor.”

DeRozan is another athlete vocal about prioritizing his wellness, talking about his depression and anxiety affecting his play.

“I think he’s been someone who’s been a driving force for me within the space," Love said. "We’ve really fostered and cultivated a great relationship between us.”

Love's foundation, The Kevin Love Fund, launched the Athlete Mental Health Program Thursday morning. The program is designed to help athletes find healthy outlets to improve mental wellness and create a sense of self-worth.

“I’m grateful to be in a league where you’re seeing that more and more," Love said. "Guys taking the initiative, allowing themselves to be vulnerable, especially in a hyper-masculine sort of space where we’re looked at as, like, bulletproof and kevlar, like superheroes. Just understanding that it affects everyone. While some people might look at that as a harsh reality, I think it allows us to foster hopes and creates a larger community.”

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Jayden Armant is a graduate of the Howard University School of Communications and a contributor to Miami Heat on SI. He can be reached at jaydenshome14@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jaydenarmant.