James Donaldson on Mental Health: A Maverick Speaks Out — and Why It Matters

I've been asked many times why I'm so open about what I went through. Why I talk about the darkness, the despair, the suicidal thoughts. Why I cry in public. Why I share the parts of my story that most people — especially men, especially athletes — keep locked away.

The answer is simple: because someone has to. And because I believe God allowed me to go through everything I went through so that I could be a voice for the people who haven't found theirs yet.

Everything That Could Go Wrong, Did

In 2015, I had life-saving emergency open-heart surgery — an aortic dissection that knocked me out for two years. My physical therapy business of nearly 30 years in Seattle, the Donaldson Clinic, eventually closed its doors in 2018. I lost my house of 40 years to foreclosure. I went through bankruptcy. I went through a divorce. I spent every last dollar of my NBA savings.

And then came the darkness. Complete darkness and despair and suicidal thoughts for about 12 months. I remember telling God, "Why are you putting me through this?" And I felt Him remind me: "I'm not putting you through it. I'm allowing you to go through it. You need to know something about mental health."

Out of those real-life experiences, I found my purpose.

What Saved Me

I want to be honest about what helped me survive that period, because I think it matters for anyone who's struggling right now.

First, I went to my doctor. I thought I just needed sleeping pills. Instead, he looked at me and said, "After talking to you, I can see that you've got depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideations — and we need to get you help." That moment of being seen, of having someone name what was happening to me, was the beginning of my way out.

Second, I pulled my close friends around me. About four or five people who had known me for 40 to 50 years. Two of my old coaches — Lenny Wilkens and George Raveling — were there side by side, walking me through it. George told me, "Hey, James, I've known you since high school and you've worked so hard to get to where you are, and I'm not going to let you throw it away now." I needed to hear that. Those people called me at two and three in the morning when I needed to talk. They checked in on me two or three times a week.

It still took 12 months. But the darkness started lifting.

Why Men Need to Hear This

Men, we just don't speak up about these things. There's a stigma — an expectation that men don't talk about their feelings, don't cry, don't let their emotions show. I want to challenge that with everything I have.

Over the years, dozens and dozens of men have reached out to me from all around the country. Many of them watched me play in the NBA. Many of them are athletes themselves. And most of them have never talked to anyone else about what they're going through. Not their friends. Not their doctors. Nobody.

That's why I set up an online coaching consultation service specifically for men. Because men need a space where they can talk — and they need to hear from someone who's been there, not just someone who's read about it in a textbook.

The Work Continues

I founded the Your Gift of Life Foundation in 2019 to give myself a platform to be a voice and advocate for mental health awareness and suicide prevention. I speak at schools — middle schools, high schools, assemblies. I tell my story. And after I speak, kids come up to me and say they're suicidal right now. Middle school kids. That's why this work matters.

I'm also trying to position myself as a resource for current and former NBA players who are struggling. Because nobody knows that life except someone who's lived it. Your doctors and counselors — they're textbook savvy. They're not NBA-life savvy. I want to be the person players can call at two in the morning when they're having dark thoughts.

How Are You Doing — Really?

That's the question I always ask. Not "How are you?" — but "How are you doing, really?" Because there's a difference. And I've learned that the people who need help the most are often the ones who answer "fine" the fastest.

If you're struggling right now — if you're in that darkness — please reach out. Call or text 988. Talk to your doctor. Pull your close friends around you. You don't have to go through this alone. I'm living proof that there is a way through.

And if you want to connect with me directly, visit yourgiftoflife.org. I'm here.