The former professional basketball player and current ESPN sports analyst stopped by the show this morning to talk about everything from the NBA, to the Olympics to the importance of athletes' mental health + more!
One very important topic that has been all over sports media over the past month has been the importance of protecting athletes' mental health, from Simone Biles to Naomi Osaka the conversation has become more important now than ever before in making sure that mental health is at the forefront of athletes priorities. Jalen also addressed those who feel like Simone was wrong for taking a mental health break from the sport.
“So a lot of those people and about 75% of those people think that January 6th at the capital was a picnic. A lot of those people there’s nothing I can say into this mic in 450 years that would even compute to them that were more than athletes, we’re more than jocks that are going to shut up and dribble. For the people who feel like you practiced your entire life and this was your moment this is what I want them to understand, Michael Jordan won 3 NBA finals and lost his father and took 2 years of a mental health break, he was an adult playing in the NBA, the goat already, she’s 24/25 years old it's way different when your young, she actually showed maturity to me by saying this isn’t about me, I don’t feel my best, I will take a step back and allow you guys to flourish because this isn’t all about me”
Check out the full interview above!