Digital Social Hour – DSH #1625

Guest: Brandon Jennings | Host: Dr. Larry Sanders II

Episode Title: Why So Many Athletes Stay Broken: Mental Injuries Nobody Talks About
Release Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this thought-provoking episode, NBA veteran Brandon Jennings joins Dr. Larry Sanders II for a candid discussion about the often-overlooked psychological challenges faced by professional athletes. The two delve into the hidden mental injuries that can follow physical trauma, the unique pressures of life on and off the court, and the importance of holistic support for athletes, especially youth. Jennings shares personal insights from his journey, his efforts to destigmatize mental health, and his ongoing mission to empower the next generation through education and mentorship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Athlete Injuries: Physical and Mental (00:30–05:36)

• Physical Injuries & Longevity:
  Jennings discusses his career longevity and relative lack of serious injuries, emphasizing daily stretching and balance work (02:08).

  “I stretch a lot. I'm real, real limber. So, you know, I work on my stretch and my balance, something I do every day.” – Brandon Jennings (02:08)

• Mental Health Following Injury:
  Jennings highlights how every physical injury often leads to a mental hurdle, using high-profile examples like Derrick Rose and Ben Simmons (04:34).

  “I feel like every physical injury ultimately equates to a mental injury…if you're not treating a physical injury with some kind of mental therapy, you're usually going to be, like, you know, I hate to say it, but kind of like Derrick Rose.” – Brandon Jennings (04:34)

  Sanders underscores the disconnect many people have between physical and mental recovery (05:04).

2. The Global Mental Health Crisis in Sports (03:57–04:22)

• International Work & Youth Support:
  Jennings discusses his global camps in Grenada, Egypt, and Taiwan, aiming to bring basketball and mental health resources to underserved youth.

  “My message is mental health. Making sure these kids get the mental health resources they need as well as the basketball attention." – Brandon Jennings (03:57)

• Stigma Abroad:
  He notes that some countries lag behind in mental health acceptance, though they are more open to holistic approaches (04:21).

3. Coping Strategies: Substance Use and the NBA (06:21–07:33)

• Marijuana as a Coping Aid:
  Jennings details how marijuana eventually became a valuable tool for coping with pain and sleep issues in the NBA, though he started using it only after his brain development years (07:10).

  “Once I got into the NBA and my second year in the league and pains from my body and not being able to eat and flying here and flying there, marijuana did become an aide, you know. It helped a lot, bro.” – Brandon Jennings (07:10)

  He clarifies he doesn’t encourage youth use and discusses the evolution of NBA policy around marijuana (06:50).

• Travel & Recovery Challenges:
  The conversation covers how travel and scheduling add immense strain, negatively impacting both physical and mental health (07:35–08:53).

4. League Structure & Player Welfare (08:15–09:55)

• Too Many Games:
  Both agree that the NBA season is excessively demanding (09:09). Jennings shares that the shortened “lockout year” (62 games) was both manageable and competitive (09:39).
• Player Wellbeing vs. Entertainment:
  The duo discuss how injuries to star players also hurt league revenue and quality of play.

5. NBA Culture: Expression, Identity & Transition (11:28–12:45)

• Self-Expression & the NBA Evolution:
  Jennings explains that he was “six years ahead of time” with his style and personality, but early in his career athletes were discouraged from ventures outside basketball or even personal fashion (11:28).

  "When I came in the league, it wasn’t really cool for guys to do anything except for play basketball...shut up and dribble, you know, and that was really the stigma." – Brandon Jennings (11:31)

  Today’s NBA is far more open to individuality, brand-building, and fashion (12:21).

• Rookie Hazing & Trash Talk:
  The conversation turns to on-court trash talking, the necessity to earn respect, and the rougher culture facing rookies of his era (13:44–14:50).

6. Mental Health, Therapy, and Social Stigma (15:00–17:32)

• Destigmatizing Therapy:
  Both Sanders and Jennings openly discuss going to therapy and the shame that surrounded it in their youth (15:00–15:14).

  “My mom had me…see a therapist when I was, like, 11. At the moment, there was some acting out or, like, some behavior issues…she was like, nah, you know what? Let's see an alternative. Let's see what therapy is.” – Brandon Jennings (15:14)

• Value of Cross-Cultural Mentorship:
  Jennings describes how an early therapist became a formative father figure, influencing his worldview and helping overcome racial assumptions (15:42–16:38).

  “Someone like that investing in me and giving me that father energy…shows that there’s no separation, bro. People just create it.” – Brandon Jennings (16:38)

• Forgiveness:
  A moving discussion on forgiveness—not for others, but for yourself—highlights the toll of resentment (17:17–17:58).

  “Your resentment isn't punishing them, it's punishing you...you're choosing not to drink the poison anymore.” – Brandon Jennings (17:51)

7. Empowering the Next Generation (18:20–19:55)

• Jennings’ Current Focus:
  Alongside music ventures, Jennings is passionate about youth camps emphasizing holistic development, mental health, and financial literacy (18:26).

• Ebook for Student Athletes:
  He launches a free “student athlete” ebook/course focused on personal growth, branding, business development, and financial literacy, navigating topics from social media to cryptocurrency (19:07–19:55).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On injury and mental health:

  “Every physical injury ultimately equates to a mental injury...if you’re not treating a physical injury with some kind of mental therapy, you’re usually going to be…like Derrick Rose.” – Brandon Jennings (04:34)

• On NBA culture past and present:

  “When I came in the league, it wasn’t really cool for guys to do anything except for play basketball…shut up and dribble.” – Brandon Jennings (11:31)

• On coping and marijuana:

  “I don’t believe in that. I believe in development and, you know, once I got into the NBA…marijuana did become an aid…helped a lot, bro.” – Brandon Jennings (07:10)

• On forgiving others:

  “Your resentment isn't punishing them, it's punishing you…you're choosing not to drink the poison anymore.” – Brandon Jennings (17:51)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:30–02:20: Early Discussion—Injuries, longevity, and career transition
• 03:57–04:22: Mental health focus in youth basketball camps domestically and abroad
• 04:34–05:36: Hidden mental injuries among professional athletes
• 06:21–07:33: Marijuana, NBA culture, and coping with stress
• 07:35–09:09: Travel, fatigue, and the toll of NBA scheduling
• 11:28–12:45: Changes in NBA culture, athlete self-expression
• 13:44–14:50: Trash talk and rookie hazing
• 15:00–16:38: Breaking the stigma of therapy and finding mentorship
• 17:17–17:58: Resentment and forgiveness
• 18:20–19:55: Giving back via camps, mentorship, and athlete education

Episode Tone & Takeaway

This episode flows with candor and warmth, blending vulnerability with real-world advice. Jennings’ insights reveal the complexities of athletic identity, the importance of mental health, and the need for holistic athlete development—especially as the business of sports evolves. Listeners come away with an understanding of how trauma, resilience, and purpose intersect in the hidden corners of professional sports, and how mentorship and proactive support can change lives.