Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
For some athletes, making it to the NBA is a dream come true. For others, it’s a nightmare. Unfortunately, that was the case for the Dallas Mavericks’ 2020 draft pick Tyrell Terry who announced via an Instagram post that he’s retiring at the age of 22.
“I decided to let go of the game that has formed a large part of my identity,” Terry wrote in his post. “Something that has guided my path since I took my first steps. While I have achieved amazing accomplishments, created unforgettable memories, and made lifelong friends…I’ve also experienced the darkest times of my life. To the point where instead of building me up, it began to destroy me.”
Terry was a #31 pick in the 2020 NBA Draft going to the Dallas Mavericks. He grew up in Minneapolis and starred for DeLaSalle High School, which won five state championships in a row, two with Terry. He headed Stanford but declared for the draft after one year, where he amassed a stat line of 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.4 steals in one college season. Terry was said to be impressive in his pre-draft interviews, which were done virtually due to the COVID pandemic. Reportedly, he broke a record in an IQ-related test the league administers.
But once in the league, Terry struggled. He was inactive for much of his rookie season with the Mavs, then took another leave of absence in training camp going into his second season. He was waived by the Mavericks in October 2021 and would only play 13 NBA games in his career.
“To most, I will be forever known as a bust, a failure, or a waste of talent,” Terry continued. “While those may be true when it comes to basketball, it is the biggest failures in life that lead to the greatest success. There is more for me out in this vast world and I am extremely excited to be able to explore that. And for the first time, to be able to find my identity outside of being a basketball player.”
Though most of the social media commentary on his retirement was positive, Tyrell Terry’s Instagram account has now been set to private.
See how social media is reacting to the decision below.
