From one of the most outspoken and respected NBA athletes comes a groundbreaking and remarkable memoir chronicling a very public struggle with depression, in the hopes that other people will not suffer alone. “DeMar DeRozan’s story is one of adaptability, courage, and love. The persistent effort on his part to rise above is compelling and important.”—Coach Gregg Popovich, from the foreword   “As men, and especially Black men, we don’t talk about our mental health enough. We struggle to admit when things aren’t okay, even when it’s obvious to everybody around us. I’ve seen how toxic that can become. I’ve experienced it myself, keeping everything under wraps until your head and heart are full of fire and rage.” DeMar DeRozan, six-time NBA All-Star, has been called a “basketball savant” ( ESPN ) and “the best closer in the NBA” ( GQ )—but when he went public with his depression, it sparked a conversation that reached far beyond the court. By breaking the stigma of speaking out, he added a new, seldom-heard voice to the mental health dialogue: a successful Black male athlete, openly naming his pain and advocating for others to do the same. Now it’s time to tell the full story. Born and raised in Compton, DeRozan was no stranger to hardship—living in poverty, losing friends to gang violence. In worn-out school gyms and community centers, fueled by hunger and a desire to prove himself, he started to rise, but doubts followed. In Above the Noise, DeRozan opens up about his proudest triumphs and the times he felt so weighed down he couldn't get out of bed. He reflects on what it took to make a name for himself in a new country after getting drafted by the Toronto Raptors, the pressure of playing with veteran athletes as a twenty-year-old rookie, and the pain of losing role models. From a scared, angry kid to a confident father of five, DeRozan traces his journey to basketball stardom and the forces that honed him into the player—and the slowly healing person—he is today. It will encourage anyone who has ever felt alone in their struggles and inspire people to rise above the noise and speak their truth. “DeMar DeRozan’s story is one of adaptability, courage, and love. The persistent effort on his part to rise above is compelling and important, for it was not without a price. He was quite brave in openly speaking about what would be a topic too often avoided—depression. We now know what a problem this is for millions of people across the nation, and his willingness to be transparent speaks volumes about his character, which exudes a love that is tangible for all to see.” —Coach Gregg Popovich   “DeMar DeRozan’s words, courage, and vulnerability are a balm in a chaotic world that makes less sense by the day. He didn’t just open up a conversation about mental health; he sparked a revolution, forever changing not just the NBA but all of professional sports. In this beautiful, gutting, and deeply introspective memoir, he isn’t afraid to offer the greatest lesson of all: We are all human. We all struggle. DeRozan’s voice is deeply needed in these times.” —Mirin Fader, New York Times bestselling author of Giannis and Dream DeMar DeRozan is a six-time NBA All-Star and two-time gold medalist for the United States Men’s Basketball Team. A father of five, DeRozan frequently returns to community centers in Compton, California, where he once practiced as a teenager, to mentor the next generation of basketball players. Dave Zarum is an award-winning sportswriter and editor and the author of NBA 75: The Definitive History . He lives in Toronto. Chapter 1 I’m my mother’s only child. The doctors told her they didn’t think she could get pregnant or have a safe birth. It’s why she always called me “The Blessed One.” The rest of my family—cousins, aunts, uncles—called me that because I was one of the few kids fortunate enough to have what it takes to make it out of my environment. I was born on August 7, 1989, in Compton, California. My mom named me “DeMar” after her brother Lemar, who was shot and killed when he was twenty. Diane Dykes, my mom, was born and raised in Compton. She’s a tough woman—you’d have to be the way she was raised—who lives with lupus, an immune-system disease that causes severe joint pain. It’s been that way since I was young. But she doesn’t let it hold her down. Mom used to work manual labor jobs when I was a kid. She worked at a factory assembling thermostats until I was ten. That’s when she got into an accident when a machine landed on her leg. It was real bad and she had to get screws put into her foot. Mom’s family is really big. She has six siblings—and everybody was close. Growing up I was surrounded by her family. Cousins, aunties, uncles, grandparents. They were my whole universe. Mom has a twin sister, Donna, who was like a second mother to me. The two of them were staples in the neighborhood. Everybody loved and respected my mom. As I got older and she wanted to shield me more