Tony Snell, a former NBA first-round pick by the Chicago Bulls in 2013, revealed Friday that he was diagnosed with autism last year.
Snell, 31, learned of his diagnosis after he and his wife noticed that their son, Karter, was not reaching developmental milestones fast enough. The two took his son to the doctor and she was diagnosed with autism. Snell told NBC’s «TODAY» that he began to think about himself and then he was evaluated.
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Tony Snell, number 9 of the Maine Celtics, drives to the basket against Ethan Thompson, number 5 of the Windy City Bulls, during the first half of an NBA G-League game on March 21, 2023, at NOW Arena at Hoffman Estates. Illinois. (Kamil Krzaczynski/NBAE via Getty Images)
«I was always independent growing up, I’ve always been alone…I just couldn’t connect with people [on] the personal side of things. I’m like, you know what, yeah [Karter] is diagnosed, so I think I am too,» she said. «That gave me the courage to go get checked out.
Snell was officially diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). He said it was a bit of «relief.»
«I wasn’t surprised, because I always felt different. It was just a relief, like, ‘Oh, that’s why I am the way I am,'» she said.
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Maine Celtics number 9 Tony Snell shoots a free throw against the Cleveland Charge on February 11, 2023 at the Portland Expo Center in Portland, Maine. (China Wong/NBAE via Getty Images)
«It was a relief. That’s why I am who I am. It made my whole life, like everything about my life, make so much sense. It was like clarity, like putting on 3D glasses,» she said.
Snell was a standout basketball player in New Mexico before turning professional. The Bulls took him with the 20th overall pick in the 2013 draft. He spent three seasons in Chicago.
He played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, and New Orleans Pelicans from 2013 to 2022. Last season, he played in the G League for the Maine Celtics.
Snell now hopes to break the stigma around autism.
New Orleans Pelicans number 21 Tony Snell dribbles past LA Clippers number 15 Xavier Moon during the second half of a game at Crypto.com Arena on April 3, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Sean M Haffey/Getty Images)
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«I just want to change lives and inspire people. I want to make sure my son knows I’ve got him covered,» she added. «When I was a kid, I felt different… but now I can show him that I’m here with you, [and] let’s ride this together. We are going to grow together and we are going to achieve a lot together.»