From one of the most outspoken and respected NBA athletes comes a groundbreaking and remarkable memoir chronicling a very public struggle with depression, in the hopes that other people will not suffer alone

“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.”

Six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan 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 speaking out and breaking the stigma of mental illness, he added a new, seldom-heard voice to the mental health dialogue: that of 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—he grew up in poverty and lost friends to gang violence. Practising in worn-out school gyms and community centres, fuelled by hunger and a desire to prove himself, he began to rise. But doubts followed. In Above the Noise, DeRozan opens up about both 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. He recounts the pressure of playing with veteran athletes as a twenty-year-old rookie, and the pain of losing role models. And he reveals what it felt like to be traded away from the team that he wanted to play with for the rest of his career.

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. His memoir will encourage anyone who has ever felt alone in their struggles and inspire people to rise above the noise and speak their truth.

DEMAR DEROZAN is a guard/forward for the Chicago Bulls. He previously played for the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors. An Olympic gold medallist and six-time NBA All-Star, DeRozan is the all-time leader in points for the Toronto Raptors and one of the most beloved Raptors players of all time. The father of five frequently returns to the gymnasium at Lueders Park, the community centre in Compton where he once practised as a teenager, to mentor the next generation of basketball players.

DeMar DeRozan's profile page

Dave Zarum is a Toronto-born writer and editor who began his journalism career at Toronto Life magazine. In 2011, he was part of the launch of Sportsnet magazine, where he won a National Magazine Award. He was the editor for The Big Book of Sports Lists and wrote for the television series based on the book, and authored The Greatest Game, an oral history of the 1989 Grey Cup.

Dave Zarum's profile page

Gregg Popovich's profile page

"It has been a pleasure and a privilege to watch and write about DeMar playing basketball for all these years and I know first-hand what joy he has brought to fans. But his story, his perseverance, and his journey is his true legacy. Above the Noise is a terrific read; it's an inspiring and important book.” — Doug Smith, the Toronto Star

“DeMar’s story is one of adaptability, courage, and love. The persistent effort on his part to rise above is compelling and important, for it was not without a price. He was quite brave in openly speaking about what would be a topic too often avoided—depression. We now know at a national level what a problem this is for millions, and his willingness to be transparent speaks volumes about his character, which exudes a love that is tangible for all to see.” — Coach Gregg Popovich

“DeMar DeRozan’s words, courage, and vulnerability are a balm in a chaotic world that makes less sense by the day. He didn’t just open up a conversationabout mental health; he sparked a revolution, forever changing not just the NBA but all of professional sports. In this beautiful, gutting, and deeply introspective memoir, he isn’t afraid to offer the greatest lesson of all: We are all human. We all struggle. DeRozan’s voice is deeply needed in these times.” — Mirin Fader, New York Times bestselling author of Giannis and Dream

"NBA star DeRozan details his struggles with anger and depression in this vulnerable account. DeRozan grew up in 1990s Compton, Calif., where the funerals of slain friends and family members he frequently attended were often disrupted by gunfire. Pushed to excel by his father, DeRozan channeled his rage and sorrow into basketball. After playing one season at USC, he was selected by the Toronto Raptors in the 2009 draft. Despite his on-court achievements, he remained plagued by the “cycle of pain, fear, and forging onward” that he’d been stuck in since childhood. In 2018, he fired off a tweet about depression that received significant media attention, with responses pouring in from other athletes, including fellow NBA player Kevin Love, who credited DeRozan’s openness with helping him open up about his own anxiety and depression (“He saved my life, in a way”). Throughout this chronicle of his ups and downs, including his devastation at being traded by the Raptors in 2018, DeRozan remains a thoughtful and endearing narrator, and his central insight—that the roar of his fans will never make up for unprocessed trauma—resonates. Readers will be inspired." — Publishers Weekly