Above the Noise

From one of the most outspoken and respected NBA athletes comes a groundbreaking and remarkable memoir chronicling a very public struggle with depression, in the hopes that other people will not suffer alone.DeMar DeRozans story is one of adaptability, courage, and love. The persistent effort on his part to rise above is compelling and important.Coach Gregg Popovich, from the forewordAs men, and especially Black men, we dont talk about our mental health enough. We struggle to admit when things arent okay, even when its obvious to everybody around us. Ive seen how toxic that can become. Ive experienced it myself, keeping everything under wraps until your head and heart are full of fire and rage.DeMar DeRozan, six-time NBA All-Star, has been called a basketball savant (ESPN) and the best closer in the NBA (GQ)but when he went public with his depression, it sparked a conversation that reached far beyond the court. By breaking the stigma of speaking out, he added a new, seldom-heard voice to the mental health dialogue: a successful Black male athlete, openly naming his pain and advocating for others to do the same.Now its time to tell the full story. Born and raised in Compton, DeRozan was no stranger to hardshipliving in poverty, losing friends to gang violence. In worn-out school gyms and community centers, fueled by hunger and a desire to prove himself, he started to rise, but doubts followed. In Above the Noise, DeRozan opens up about his proudest triumphs and the times he felt so weighed down he couldn''t get out of bed. He reflects on what it took to make a name for himself in a new country after getting drafted by the Toronto Raptors, the pressure of playing with veteran athletes as a twenty-year-old rookie, and the pain of losing role models.From a scared, angry kid to a confident father of five, DeRozan traces his journey to basketball stardom and the forces that honed him into the playerand the slowly healing personhe is today. It will encourage anyone who has ever felt alone in their struggles and inspire people to rise above the noise and speak their truth.