How often do you see people truly change? Not just a shift in routine or style, but a complete transformation. From the squeak of sneakers on hardwood to the thud of gloves against canvas? Just 12 days till showtime! Dennis Rodman brought his flair, though a scripted one, to WCW as “Rodzilla,” enjoying a surprisingly successful run. Now, another former NBA player and Shaquille O’Neal’s successor is gearing up for a thrilling debut. He has already trained with elite fighters like professional boxer Nate Diaz and MMA legend Royce Gracie. Just as fans are counting down the days, he put forth a daring challenge. But how is he O’Neal’s successor?

Before Carter-Williams, the Big Aristotle locked horns with Oscar De La Hoya and even faced Shane Mosley in an exhibition boxing match. Now, the 2014 NBA Rookie of the Year is set to go head-to-head against a 36-year-old elite fighter on May 29. His debut will take place at the Broad Street Brawl, organized by Uprising Promotions. After playing nine seasons in the NBA, he is content with his basketball journey. As he looks forward to his biggest debut in amateur boxing, he clears the air on certain things.

He might be fresh in the fight game, but Carter-Williams isn’t showing up to play patty-cake. His mission? Simple: lights out. Speaking of his aim for KO, he said, “I know they’re going to come in and try and knock me out, so that’s what I’m doing!” The challenge isn’t easy, and surely not for someone who was in the court. But does he wish to come back? A definite no. So the plan is in hand, and he is here to stay. “We’ll see where it takes me. But I definitely want to fight. I definitely want to have fights,” he told TMZ as he expressed his wish for future bouts.

For his debut, he’ll be facing boxer Sam Khativ in a three-round heavyweight bout. The event also has a very meaningful purpose behind it. This will raise funds for the nonprofit organization, BigVision Community, which is dedicated to supporting young adults in recovery from substance abuse.

This isn’t the only good he is doing. Carter Williams is also involved with another endeavor.

Michael Carter-Williams opened up about lesser known stigma

As per the Boston Globe, Carter-Williams is part of a team that co-developed the app NDUR. This was created to support students struggling with mental health issues such as anxiety and more. Launched just last year, the app offers a wide range of support, from access to counselors to guided breathing techniques. Carter also partnered with Boston Public Schools to host mental health seminars.

His motivation for this initiative stems from his struggles. In 2014, Carter was a rising NBA star. But he was also burdened with expectations of performing at his best. He earned Rookie of the Year honors and several other accolades. However, in 2015, he was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks and he felt doubts about himself.

His NBA journey became more turbulent. During this difficult period, his fiancée left him and took their daughter, which may have added more to his emotional struggles. “It was on my mind a lot. Like I’m supposed to be doing this, I’m supposed to be playing this way. I’m supposed to be averaging this many points. My trajectory is going down instead of up. But then like you said, like I started, I got so low in my life that the small wins really, I just appreciated them a lot more,” Williams said.

His time with the Orlando Magic later helped him begin to recover and emerge from that dark phase. It was then that he decided to raise awareness about mental health. Though discussions about mental health in sports have gained momentum only recently, the issues themselves are not new. With more athletes opening up, Williams Carter’s voice will encourage others to speak out as well.