Tyrell Terry, a former NBA draught pick, has retired at the age of 22

'It began to destroy me:' Tyrell Terry, an ex-NBA draught pick, retires at the age of 22. This story first aired on NBC Sports Bay Area.

Tyrell Terry, an NBA free agent, announced his retirement from basketball on Thursday in an Instagram post.

Terry, a Dallas Mavericks second-round pick in 2020, emphasised the worry that basketball brought him in explaining his choice to leave the game he's "fallen out of love with."

“This message is a very difficult one to share and an emotional one to write. Today I decided to let go of the game that has formed a large part of my identity. Something that has guided my path since I took my first steps,” Terry wrote.

"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. Where I began to despise and question the value of myself, much more than those surrounding me could ever see or know. Intrusive thoughts, waking up nauseous, and finding myself struggling to take normal breaths because of the rock that would sit on my chest that seemed to weigh much more than I could carry. This is just a brief description of the anxiety this sport has caused me, and while I’m grateful for every door it has opened for me, I can’t continue this fight any longer for something I have fallen out of love with.”

"To most, I will forever be known as a bust, a failure, or a waste of talent. While those may be true when it comes to basketball, it is the biggest failures in life that lead to the greatest success," Terry wrote. "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.

"I am eternally grateful to those who have believed in me and apologize to those that I have let down. But I'm headed down a different path now, one that will hopefully lead to happiness and being able to love myself again."

Terry, a Minneapolis native, had a standout season at Stanford in 2019-20, averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 40.8% from 3-point range. Terry entered the 2020 NBA Draft after winning Pac-12 All-Freshman accolades and was selected by the Mavericks with the first pick of the second round (No. 31 overall).

As a rookie, the 6-2 guard participated in 11 games before taking a nearly two-month personal absence. Terry revealed the extended absence was due to mental health issues during a media day ahead of his second NBA season.

"I was dealing with some mental health stuff that runs in my family," he stated. "I wasn't aware it was sneaking up on me." "It hit me pretty hard."

Terry was later dismissed by Dallas after missing all four games during the 2021-22 preseason due to personal issues. Following his release, the Mavericks referred to him as "family for life" in a tweet.

Family for life.

Thank you, @tyterry05. pic.twitter.com/DjE26RR3Bu

— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 16, 2021

Terry was signed to a 10-day contract by the Memphis Grizzlies in December 2021, followed by a two-way contract in January 2022. He appeared in two games for the Grizzlies that season before being released in the offseason.

Terry, who appeared in 13 NBA games, also appeared in 29 G League games with the Memphis Hustle during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons.