In a candid interview with BleacherReport.com, NateRobinson says the NBA made him depressed and recalled a particular incident where Knicks former coach Larry Brown referred to him regularly as “the little shit.”

“The NBA gave me my depression,” Robinson says. “I’ve never been a depressed person in my life.”

While in therapy, Robinson questioned himself and God. He wondered if he should have pursued football instead. He opened up about struggles few knew about, like the time, he said, Brown allegedly referred to him daily as “the little shit.” On another occasion, Robinson came into Brown’s office, crying, telling his coach to stop demeaning him. Ten minutes later, in front of the team, Brown called Robinson “the little shit” again and shared that he had cried.

(When asked about the nature of these interactions, Brown said: “I don’t have any recollection. I don’t, I don’t know … I don’t know what I called him, to be honest with you. If I did that, shame on me. I would feel terrible about that. That’s not who I am, but I don’t want to dispute Nate.”)

Even though the NBA made Nate depressed, he brought joy to millions of fans. Not sure how getting paid to play basketball is depressing, but no one knows what it’s like to be in the shoes of one of the smallest NBA players.