From NBA to Champion to Championing Mental Health Awareness

NEXT with Marcus Atkinson

People may know Vernon Maxwell for his two NBA titles with the Houston Rockets. Few people know that his passion is unmasking stigmas around mental health issues in the black community. The Vernon Maxwell Initiative is a 501 c3 nonprofit that connects with local organizations to bring constant awareness to mental health struggles within communities and neighborhoods in Houston, Charlotte, and Gainesville. With the help of Penn State Behrend, Professor Dr. Melanie Hetzel-Riggin conducts an in-depth interview to unpack Vernon’s story to understand why this mission is so dear to him. Tune in to this episode on NEXT2.0.