Months after revealing a bout with anxiety and depression in the NBA's Orlando bubble environment, Los Angeles Clippers star Paul George says he is experiencing more trash talk than ever before "because I was down," and that reality is difficult to reconcile for a league that has prioritized mental health in recent years.
Credit to George, who is enjoying a resurgent start to his 2020-21 campaign, averaging 24.6 points on remarkably efficient 49/48/95 shooting splits, along with 6.5 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. His Clippers are 6-3 despite a slow start for superstar teammate Kawhi Leonard made worse by a facial injury.