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: My Story of Chasing Calm, 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.

DeRozan will be in conversation with a New York Times bestselling poet, essayist, cultural critic, and 2021 MacArthur Fellow Hanif Abdurraqib (FAN ’21, ’24). FAN hosted Abdurraqib in 2021 in support of his award-winning book A Little Devil in America: Notes in Praise of Black Performance, and also for his most recent book, 2024’s There’s Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension.

This event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.

BONUS BOOK GIVEAWAY! We are giving away copies of Above the Noise to randomly selected Zoom attendees. Details on the webinar registration page.

“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