"I pushed my wife away, I pushed my kids away, I was a jerk" - Battier admits depression almost ruined his life after he retired from the NBA

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"I pushed my wife away, I pushed my kids away, I was a jerk" - Battier admits depression almost ruined his life after he retired from the NBA originally appeared on Basketball Network.
Basketball was everything to Shane Battier, and so when his career ended, Battier was lost. Although Shane had everything he needed to live comfortably for the rest of his life — money, fame, friends and family — not being part of a team and competing for a greater goal almost drove him crazy and ruined everything he had worked so hard for.
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It all began during his final year in the NBA when Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra started sitting him on the bench during the fourth quarter of games. In the 2014 Playoffs, Battier averaged just 2.3 points per game in 12.6 minutes of playing time. It was worse in the 2014 NBA Finals, where the former Blue Devil played just 33 minutes and scored only five points.
"Nothing was worse to me than sitting me in crunch time," admitted Battier during an appearance on the "Pablo Torre Finds Out" podcast. "That was my identity. It hurt me to my core. That's when I knew I was done. I was embarrassed, and I checked out. And so when I retired, I was very cynical. And I was so sad, but I was also very cynical."
Shane struggled after retirement
And so, after being "told without being told" that the Heat's best chances to win would be with him on the bench rather than on the court, Battier retired following Miami's loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the 2014 NBA Finals. Immediately, he an offer from ESPN to be one of the network's men's college basketball analysts.
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Looking back, Shane says that was a big mistake.
Although the job was still about basketball, it wasn't the one the 6'8"forward was used to and not the one he truly wanted. Without the passion for what he was doing, Battier struggled on TV and was criticized. Instead of finding the relevance and purpose that he was looking for in retirement, it only made his internal struggles worse to the point that they were starting to affect his personal relationships.
"I shut people out," Shane continued. "I was probably battling depression. I didn't know what depression was. I never had this feeling before. But feeling very isolated. I didn't feel anyone understood what I was going through. I felt very alone, and I pushed people away. I pushed my wife away; I pushed my kids away. And I was just a jerk. And I wasn't like doing destructive things, It wasn't like I was drinking every night. But I was emotionally unavailable. And I was hurt, and I was pissed off. I had all these emotions I had never associated with basketball."
Related: "God, if you let me get through this, I won't play no more" - Larry Bird describes the moment that made him retire for good
Being part of a basketball team again
Shane quit ESPN towards the end of 2015, and over a year later, the Heat hired him as Director of Basketball Development and Analytics. Suddenly, with an opportunity to be part of a team — his former NBA team at that — and compete for a championship, even though in a different capacity, Battier started to find his way back before his depression destroyed his life.
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However, in a surprise move, the Birmingham native resigned last year and opted to take a non-basketball position as strategic assistant to Heat CEO and close friend Nick Arison. Shane and his family also left Florida to start a new life in Charlotte. However, it wasn't because of anything negative; it was because Battier was ready to explore new things.
"There is so much in life to experience and try my hand at," he said. "So many interesting people around the world. I'm so fascinated about learning. I turned 46, and I feel I have so much to learn and have so much to do in the world still. I needed to go out and explore, and meet and learn. I wanted to learn new industries. It sounds very strange because I love basketball. For me to be truly happy, that's what I need to do."
Aside from him and his wife Heidi running his "Battier Take Charge" foundation, Shane has been busy being a professional speaker, podcast host, and most importantly, a sports dad to 16-year-old Zeke, whom he enrolled at Charlotte's Providence Day School and is now a 6'7" promising talent. Shane's 13-year-old daughter, Eloise, is also a youth soccer player in Charlotte, so it's safe to say Battier has his life back and is living it to the fullest.
Related: "I would not be able to sleep" - Shane Battier calls out players in the NBA today for missing playoff games
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.