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Trey Wyatt
Professor Samson
KHP 300
Spring 2025
Current Events Paper
In the past few years, two major events have changed the conversation regarding mental
health and gender equity in sports. The first event was in 2021, when NBA player Kevin Love
discussed his experience with anxiety and depression, which is an important aspect of mental
health in the professional basketball setting. His frankness stimulated a conversation about the
psychological pressures of playing at the professional level and the importance of mental health
resources in sports in general. The second event is the NCAA's response to gender inequities in
collegiate athletics, since the disparity between men's and women's basketball facilities became
an apparent consideration during the 2021 March Madness tournament. These recent events
indicate the persistent psychological and sociological realities that emerge within sport and have
engendered important policy changes as well as discussions regarding athlete wellness and
equitable practices.
In recent years, professional basketball players have become more vocal about their
individual mental health journeys to combat stigma about mental health and psychological health
issues in sport. A momentous example was Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers publicly
discussing his anxiety and panic attacks in 2021 and the need for mental health considerations in
the NBA. The conversation highlighting love's story catalyzed talks about the amount of pressure
and strain elite athletes go through and how mental health relates to performance and the quality
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of life of athletes (Smith 2021). This event fits within psychological theories of stress and coping
in sport and the demand for mental health resources and mental health friendly environments for
athletes.
Love's choice to speak publicly about his challenges is also informed by selfdetermination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 1985) that emphasizes autonomy, competence, and
relatedness as essential to motivation. In advocating for mental health support, love also called
for athletes to feel a sense of control of their wellbeing. He has changed policies regarding
mental health in the NBA by promoting mental health professionals around the team, and
supporting conversations about problems for athletes (Brown, 2022).
In 2022, the NCAA revised its gender equity review in the collegiate athletics context
stemming from the issue of differences between the men's and women's basketball facilities
during the 2021 March Madness tournament. That problem exposed significant distinctions in
funding, resources, and media exposure for the women's and men's programs, and the NCAA
adopted policy revisions to provide equitable opportunity for male and female athletics (Johnson,
2022).
This matter is closely related to sociological sport theory, specifically feminist theory,
which critiques differences in access to and participation in sports. The differences laid bare in
2021 magnified systemic social differences in gender bias in sports, which tends to favor male
athletes with access to more funding and opportunities The NCAA's commitment to reform,
reflects an institutional perspective on addressing inequalities comparable to Title IX legislation
requiring equal opportunities regardless of sex (Parker, 2023). As these changes gain traction,
they are particularly meaningful as it relates to changing patterns within the cultural norms and
the growing representation of women in sports media and sponsorship opportunities.
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Overall, the two occurrences perfectly showcase the crossover between psychology and
sociology in physical education and sport. The increase in mental health awareness among
professional athletes illustrated the psychological stresses of competition and the need for
interventions that support mental health. On the other hand, the call for gender equity in
collegiate sport is a sociological response for inclusion and equity in sport. Together, these two
incidents illustrate an ever-changing environment for sport - where mental health and social
justice are relevant to sport and performance success.
References
Brown, J. (2022). Sport psychology in collegiate athletics: A Review of Mental Health Service
Models: Journal of College Student Mental Health: Vol 38, no 1. (n.d.).
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/87568225.2022.2117114
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Apa PsychNet. American Psychological
Association. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2000-13324-007
NCAA.org. (2022, July 20). NCAA statement on Gender Equity Assessment.
https://www.ncaa.org/news/2022/7/20/media-center-ncaa-statement-on-gender-equityassessment.aspx
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Parker, L. (2023). Athletics and title IX. Athletics and Title IX | Georgetown Journal of Gender
and the Law | Georgetown Law. (n.d.). https://www.law.georgetown.edu/gender-journal/inprint/volume-xxiv-issue-2-annual-review-2023/athletics-title-ix/
Smith, A. (2021) Eather, N., Wade, L., Pankowiak, A., & Eime, R. (2023, June 21). The impact
of sports participation on mental health and social outcomes in adults: A systematic review
and the “mental health through sport” conceptual model - systematic reviews. BioMed
Central. https://systematicreviewsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13643-02302264-8