Kevin Love shared how LeBron James supported his mental health revelation: “He shook my hand and gave me the nod of approval” originally appeared on Basketball Network.
In recent years, many professional athletes have spoken publicly about their mental health struggles. The NBA has been no exception, with popular names like DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love sharing their personal stories in a bid to break the longstanding stigma around the subject.
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Indeed, marking a bold step for Love, who, back in 2018, decided to speak candidly about his battles with anxiety and depression on The Players’ Tribune. Shedding all his inhibitions, he highlighted how undergoing a panic attack during a game served as a turning point for him.
As a mental health advocate, he also emphasized the importance of seeking professional help. Trying to make a change, he set up the Kevin Love Fund to help increase education around the subject. However, none of this would have been possible without the support of his teammates.
During a recent appearance on Making Space with Hoda Kotb, K-Love recalled his interaction with LeBron James the following day after his article was published. At the time, both Love and James were teammates on the Cavaliers.
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“LeBron and I almost sat next to each other. He was a seat up and across the aisle, but he let everybody pour out and get out. He just shook my hand and kind of gave me that nod of approval… It was pretty immediate, I think he kind of realized that something was really going on, and he was going to support his brother, who he won with and had been in the trenches with, and that’s what not only a teammate does, but a true lifelong friend and a brother,” said Love, who believed James understood human emotions well.
When James showed support on social media
James did not waste any time in applauding Love for his courageous move of speaking up on the sensitive matter. Love had certainly earned the respect of King James, who tweeted the following:
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In October 2018, when Love announced his donation to UCLA on World Mental Health Day, James had nothing but praise for his Cavs teammate.
“Kevin Love was one of my favorite guys, one of my brothers. When he acknowledged that (he has suffered panic attacks), I just told him how strong he was – not only for himself, but for other people that are going through the same issues. Not only just athletes, but a lot of kids that look up to him and maybe going through it don’t know how to express things, so I think it’s a pretty cool thing,” said James, who played four seasons with Love as his teammate.
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Their Cavs association
James played a critical role when the Cavaliers made a push to acquire Love from the Timberwolves in 2014. Teaming up, the two All-Stars had a lot of success together, which included four consecutive Finals trips and the iconic 2016 championship.
Surprisingly, this was not the case when they started as teammates, given their different approaches to offense. Love was not pleased being the third option on the team, which created some friction between him and James. Nevertheless, the two sorted things out.
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Heading into their second year as teammates, the two appeared much more in sync. Showing complete professionalism, Love made the desired adjustments. In the 252 games they played as teammates, they had a 176-76 record. Love made for a perfect fit alongside James, given his shooting abilities, especially from the 3-point line.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
