From Basketball Glory to Mental Health Advocacy: BHCC’s Compelling Conversations Speakers Series with Chamique Holdsclaw
Thursday, May 1, 2025
Once dubbed the “female Michael Jordan,” former WNBA star Chamique Holdsclaw spoke to BHCC faculty, staff, and students on growing up in Queens, New York, her rise to basketball greatness, and her success and challenges beyond the court.
Introduced by BHCC’s Women’s Basketball Coach, Jessica Baxter, Chamique was honored for shaping modern women’s basketball, leading the University of Tennessee Lady Volunteers to three NCAA titles, and helping raise the sport's profile.
Moderated by Nahomi Carlisle, Associate Vice President and Chief Compliance Officer at BHCC, Chamique shared her childhood, struggles, drive, and spiritual and emotional growth path from silence to advocacy for mental health awareness.
A strict yet loving grandmother raised Chamique after her parents battled addiction. She used basketball as an escape and was initially rejected from a boys’ team, only to become its best player later, thanks partly to her grandmother’s discipline and values. This resilience continued into her WNBA journey, where she was drafted #1 by the worst team and still made an impact.
Chamique attended the University of Tennessee under legendary coach Pat Summitt. Together, they won three NCAA championships and elevated women's college basketball. Summitt taught her how to be a better player and a stronger woman. She instilled in her the value of speaking up and fighting for equity in sports.
A dedicated student-athlete, Holdsclaw graduated with a degree in political science. Her grandmother's insistence on education inspired her academic focus. She balanced the intense demands of collegiate and professional sports with her studies and personal growth.
The scenes behind the victories were a silent battle with mental illness that nearly cost her everything. Beneath her success, Holdsclaw faced severe depression, manic episodes, and a suicide attempt. She shared that she suffered in silence for years despite having a supportive family and fans. Her diagnosis of bipolar disorder became the beginning of her recovery: “I was suffering in silence, and I had support,” said Holdsclaw.
She reflected on her grandmother's role in her life, teaching her servant leadership and compassion. Her grandmother said, “We all can be great because we all can serve.” Today, she continues to live by that mantra, helping others while managing her ongoing healing journey.
Holdsclaw became a mental health activist after her breakdown, using her story to inspire others. She emphasized the importance of therapy, support groups, and storytelling as tools for healing, illustrating that recovery is a continuous process. “A setback is a setup for something greater.”
Following a public crisis and a life-altering diagnosis of bipolar disorder and severe anxiety, she began a new chapter: not only surviving but also speaking out. Today, Holdsclaw is a leading voice in mental health advocacy, utilizing her platform and her documentary Mind|Game: The Unquiet Journey of Chamique Holdsclaw to inspire openness, resilience, and healing.