Six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan has not just delighted his fans by receiving several accolades in the basketball world but, he has won millions of hearts by introducing a new series on mental health positivity. By releasing his new series ‘Dinners with DeMar’, DeRozan has become one of the strongest supporters of mental health awareness in professional sports.

While the whole world has been coming forth to admire the extraordinary efforts of DeRozan, none other than the Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps also took to applaud the NBA star for his new series. Both Phelps and DeRozan stand out as influential figures in the realm of mental health advocacy.

Mental health conversations at ‘Dinners with DeMar’

Chicago Bulls’s player DeMar DeRozan took to his official Instagram handle to share the news on his forthcoming series. He captioned the post as, “I am proud to introduce my new series, Dinners with DeMar, in partnership with @podiumpics.

The US basketball player also shared some insights about his first episode that will be broadcast on 20th Feb. The first season will have episodes, which will be streaming on DeRozan’s YouTube channel. Shedding light on mental health significance, the 34-year-old player further remarked in his post, “This year, I sat down with my friends for open and honest talks about mental health. Now it’s time to share those with you. Let’s continue the conversation.”

In the post, DeMar DeRozan speaks about how his upbringing in an urban community lacked discussions about mental health. However, when he put up a tweet expressing depression during All-Star weekend, it led him to open up about his struggle. And, besides helping him, it also enabled others to embrace vulnerability and talk about mental wellness. This is the story behind his series “Dinners with DeMar,” as he “hopes this project will spread hope, inspiration, and understanding” to tell their own stories.

Soon after DeMar’s post surfaced on the internet, the most decorated Olympian Michael Phelps reacted to this on a positive note. Taking to the comment box, Phelps appreciated it and noted, “This awesome! Thx for sharing.”

Michael Phelps champions mental health awareness

After suffering from depression during his career, Michael Phelps has always been outspoken about mental health issues. Previously, Phelps also emphasized the significance of discussing mental health for athletes, by saying, “It saves lives”.

Read More: 12 Years After Beating Michael Phelps, Arch Rival Announces Yet Another Paris Olympics Chase

Phelps’s latest interview and commitments show that he is now keen about using therapy to promote mental health awareness. Before discovering therapy, Phelps revealed that in the mirror he only saw a swimmer, not a human being. In collaboration with Talkspace, the most distinguished swimmer shared his terrific experiences with mental health issues with the public. “There are definitely ways to pass the records that have already been broken while paying attention to your mental and physical well-being at the same time,” he added.

With sports stars talking about mental wellness, it will not just have a positive impact on them but also on the broader community.

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