Beyond the pristine All-American image of an accomplished 13-year NBA multi-millionaire athlete and NCAA Missouri Tigers standout resided a hellish internal truth that was essentially eased by professional sports. Life in the fast lane never remotely drove the ever-grounded Keyon Dooling over the edge until what ultimately transpired in 2012 in a bittersweet incident that altered the stars outlook on life for eternity. The ever-honest and talented 10th overall selection in the NBA Draft 2000 explained his side of the story in-depth in the latest edition where ‘Dean Perretta Meets Keyon Dooling‘.
During our meeting, the 34-year-old Fort Lauderdale-born athlete/author deeply retold the nightmarish childhood experience in the form of sexual abuse when plugging compellingly inspirational novel ‘What’s Driving You??? How I Overcame Abuse And Learned To Lead In The NBA‘. Dooling – who retired from the NBA courtesy of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) – noted how excessively therapeutic it had been to experience such support from Los Angeles Clippers Head Coach, Doc Rivers (the father-like figure in Rivers coached Dooling in Boston) after reliving the heinous abusive actions in a public restroom, which led the then Celtic engaging in an uncontrollably eruptive rage that led to shocking hospitalization. The 6-4 Floridian was not defeated physically in any measure, more so psychologically in being admitted to a psychiatric unit in a moment where the athlete surprisingly hit rock bottom despite being a locker room leader for the Boston Celtics.
Dooling is a loving father, dedicated husband and man of faith who spoke on his new journey as a public speaker and community-driven champion. The eloquent author stressed how he was vastly conflicted in remotely mentioning the initial childhood sexual abuse encounter to the mainstream media, NBA Head Coaches, teamates and even his wife largely due to the stigma attached to the tragic incident. Keyon Dooling was a young, wide-eyed child when the tormenting abuse occurred growing up in borderline poverty in Fort Lauderdale. The shady streets were meaner than advertised to outsiders, and could certainly eat you in its most tyrannical ways imaginable for would-be dealers, gang members, murderers and con artists. Basketball was a salvation, and an escape to for both harsh memories and harsher realities in leading a potential life of criminality.
‘What’s Driving You??? How I Overcame Abuse And Learned To Lead In The NBA‘ is accompanied with an R&B/Hip-Hop-laced soundtrack that captures and brings further allure to the story according to Dooling. It was at TC Sports Radio in New York when I was a guest alongside Dooling, yet during our meeting, the good natured philanthropist was at greater ease given the fact motives of the timing of the release of ‘What’s Driving You??? How I Overcame Abuse And Learned To Lead In The NBA‘ were never questioned, nor did I intervene in personal and professional decisions that had already been respectfully made. Keyon Dooling has moved on the a brand new chapter in his life.
Scars remain with us all until the end of time. However, Keyon Dooling is a classy gentleman in knowing despite calling time on his NBA career, he understands the positive influence and the bigger picture that remains ahead in impacting the next generation beyond the court. Being a professional athlete is a extraordinarily brief life, and Dooling informed me during our meeting that he will be forever grateful for the 13 years that he participated in the greatest basketball league on earth – NBA.
This is a hard-working man who carved a rock-solid niche and played alongside stars in: Dwight Howard, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Dwyane Wade, Andre Miller, Brook Lopez, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, Jameer Nelson,Eddie Jones, Shaquille O’Neal, Hedo Turkoglu, Vince Carter, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley. In addition, training each everyday whilst travelling from coast to coast and all points in between the United States during an 82 game regular season (plus NBA Playoffs) for 13 years consecutively can break the very spirit of the weak, break up a happy home, and provide a breakthrough in enabling a new outlook on life in the case of Keyon Dooling on the basis of his courage and never-say-die attitude that he has whethered and been through in his 34 years on this earth.
Dooling profoundly engaged on a potential book tour in the United Kingdom to actively promote ‘How I Overcame Abuse And Learned To Lead In The NBA‘ and was appreciative of the feedback he received in his honest debut novel. Writing further titles in the near future is certainly on the agenda, alongside promoting OXL Sport health supplements, and interacting in motivational seminars throughout the United States and beyond.
Basketball doesn’t define Keyon Dooling in any way, shape or form, and he will be the first to attest to that very sentiment as he aims to make his biggest shots in life and assists in communities even after the final buzzer. Dooling doesn’t need an NBA Championship ring to prove that he is a champion in life.
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W| By Dean Perretta
