Chandler Hutchison Reveals Why He Retired from the NBA at 26 | Curious Mike

Former NBA first-round pick Chandler Hutchison joins Michael Porter Jr. on Curious Mike for his most vulnerable conversation yet. Chandler opens up about why he stepped away from the NBA at just 26 years old, the anxiety and OCD he was battling behind the scenes, playing through panic attacks, and how the pressure to perform began affecting both his basketball career and his life away from the game. From being selected No. 22 overall by the Chicago Bulls to getting traded, attempting an NBA comeback, and eventually reaching a point where basketball had to take a backseat to his health, Chandler tells the full story of what was really happening when the cameras were off. He also speaks candidly about experiencing psychosis, checking himself into a psychiatric hospital, going through multiple treatment facilities, his road toward recovery, the importance of his family and support system, finding purpose after basketball, and how his faith has shaped the way he looks at everything he has been through. Michael and Chandler also connect over their experiences with injuries, pressure, perfectionism, the business side of the NBA, and learning that who you are is bigger than what happens on the basketball court. This is a conversation about basketball, but even more about identity, mental health, faith, purpose and what happens when the dream you spent your entire life chasing changes. Subscribe to Curious Mike for more honest conversations with athletes, creators and people with stories worth hearing. CHAPTERS: 0:00 Chandler Hutchison’s Mental Health Battle 0:47 Chandler Hutchison Joins Curious Mike 1:05 Why Chandler Retired From the NBA at 26 2:50 When Basketball Started Feeling Different 5:14 Living With the “What Ifs” 8:01 Michael Porter Jr. & Chandler’s Draft Journey 12:02 Injuries, Doctors & the Mind-Body Connection 15:45 Choosing Mental Health Over Basketball 17:06 Chandler Opens Up About His OCD 19:11 How OCD Affected His Jump Shot 23:14 Playing NBA Games Through Panic Attacks 25:40 Mental Health Behind the Scenes in the NBA 29:07 Telling the Chicago Bulls He Couldn’t Play 30:57 Getting Traded After Trying to Come Back 35:04 Finding Purpose Through Player Development 35:43 Chandler on Playing With Russell Westbrook 37:01 The Last Time He Played in the NBA 39:37 His Mental Health Struggles Return 40:41 Chandler Opens Up About Psychosis 42:49 Why He Retired Again 44:25 Attempting an NBA Comeback 45:08 Depression During His Return to Basketball 47:18 Five Treatment Facilities in Five Months 47:32 Checking Himself Into the Hospital 47:47 “I Thought I Was Dying” 48:19 Writing Goodbye Letters to His Family 48:55 How His Dad Supported Him Through It All 49:53 Electroconvulsive Therapy & His Lowest Point 51:08 The Long Road Toward Recovery 51:36 The Reality of Mental Health After Treatment 53:00 Faith During the Hardest Moments 56:47 Finding Purpose Beyond the NBA 59:05 Michael & Chandler on the Nervous System 1:01:29 Pressure, Phones & Modern Life 1:02:33 Why Does God Allow Suffering? 1:04:31 Holding Onto Faith Through Everything 1:06:18 Finding Purpose in Pain 1:07:18 Chandler’s Story Is Just Beginning 1:07:53 Gratitude, Recovery & What Comes Next #CuriousMike #ChandlerHutchison #MichaelPorterJr #NBA #MentalHealth #ChicagoBulls