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“It made me feel great. That was my whole intent with speaking out,” said DeRozan when asked about Love’s article. “I understand it’s hard to step up and do a thing like that. If I had to be the sacrificial lamb to open up that gate and make everybody else feel comfortable and share their story and help the next person, that’s what it’s all about.”

Photo by Jim Mone / AP

Love says he was stricken with anxiety on Nov. 5, 2017, during a home game against Atlanta. Love adds that he had been under family stress and hadn’t been sleeping well. After briefly being winded while playing 15 minutes in the first half, he felt his heart racing and couldn’t catch his breath during a timeout in the third quarter.

“It’s hard to describe, but everything was spinning, like my brain was trying to climb out of my head,” said Love, a five-time All-Star now sidelined after breaking his left hand last month, in the article.

“The air felt thick and heavy. My mouth was like chalk. I remember our assistant coach yelling something about a defensive set. I nodded, but I didn’t hear much of what he said. By that point, I was freaking out.”

After playing against DeRozan for years, Love said he would have never guessed one of the game’s best players was having problems similar to his own.

Although both DeRozan and Love have competed for the United States at the Olympics and grew up in the Los Angeles area, they have never played together. However, DeRozan said on Tuesday he intends to reach out to Love.