LAS VEGAS — The last time Dion Waiters played in the NBA was the 2019-20 season, and he played a total of only 10 games splitting time with the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers.

Now, the 2012 No. 4 overall pick is attempting a comeback after a three-year hiatus that came with dark days because of depression and anxiety.

During his most recent stint in the league, Waiters was suspended by the Heat on three occasions. He was suspended for the season opener for complaining about his role on social media. Three weeks later, he was suspended for 10 games after consuming THC-infused edibles that prompted a panic attack on the team plane. And a month later, Waiters was suspended for six games for posting a picture celebrating his birthday after calling out sick. He was traded to Memphis near the trade deadline and subsequently waived.

The 31-year-old guard held a private workout Monday at Victoria Fertitta Middle School in front of a dozen or so NBA scouts and executives organized by his agent, Daniel Hazan of Hazan Sports Management.

After his 30-minute workout, he sat down with Bleacher Report for an open and candid interview on the struggles of being away from the game, his decision to seek help for his mental state and feeling like he let everyone down. He also touched on trying to help his son avoid his pitfalls, the lessons he learned, wanting to give back to the game, what he has left in the tank and advocating for the assistance of therapy.

Bleacher Report: What makes you feel mentally and physically prepared to make an NBA comeback after a few years away?

Dion Waiters: I honestly had to go through what I was going through the last couple of years by not playing. I feel like it made me a better person. It made me a better man and a better father because now I'm able to tell my son like, 'Yo bro, it's not just about talent, it's about your attitude, and what you're doing out there on the court is not going to work.'

I told him, 'Bro, your dad is not [out of] the league because of talent. It was my attitude, my character, and not understanding that it's bigger than me.' I feel like I had to go through this so I could explain that to my son, and that's the dead truth.

I got better with my patience and recognizing my mistakes and where I went wrong, but I want to be able to correct those errors and get a chance to just show my growth. I wouldn't be who I am today, and I wouldn't be sitting here to be able to explain to you all the feelings and different emotions and where I went wrong.

B/R: How did you initially handle being out of the league?

DW: My first year, I was like still feeling it out. COVID-19 was still going on. It was kind of weird. I felt like I should have gotten right back to training for my return. But honestly, bro, I went through some s--t. Depression, anxiety and just not knowing my future. It got serious, bro. I had to get a therapist. It became overwhelming and too much to bear. I now talk to a therapist every Wednesday.

Basketball, that was my whole life. I still go through life trying to figure it all out, but I play basketball. That's what I do for a living. You can have businesses, you could have all this other stuff, but I'm still young with a lot left in the tank.

I'm healthy. I just want that opportunity just to show I'm not who I once was. And I know a lot of people talk about that, but for me, I think it's more about showing that I've changed. That's why I'm here, man. I still got that love. I still got that itch.

I know I can still help a team win at the highest level on the court and even in the locker room as a veteran presence. So why not just give it a go and just see what happens? You never know.

B/R: What did depression look like for you?

DW: I just wasn't having fun. I had thoughts of not being around, but I've got kids. I'd rather be miserable for the rest of my life than to leave my kids without a father. I didn't want to be around anyone, and everybody was still asking for s--t. I'm a one-man army as far as finances go. I'm the backbone. S--t was dark. Some days, I'd sleep in the bed all day. I had nothing to look forward to. I wasn't working out. It's a mental battle.

I never understood what depression was until the last few years. I realized I've been enduring this pain since I was a kid. My dad even fought depression. He had a bad attitude coming up. He would tell me how he tried to hurt himself, but that was something I couldn't understand until I saw a therapist. I felt all alone.

I learned that it takes time to deal with the dark days. But you know what? We're here. There are sunshiny days ahead. One thing about me is I never lost my confidence. Losing the game all happened so fast. I didn't have a chance to prepare for it. We're all humans. We go through s--t. I want someone to know that you're not alone. Don't ever feel like this is the end. If you need somebody to talk to, I'm here. We just got to stay strong and we can figure this out together.

B/R: In the Black community, seeking therapy isn't a common occurrence.

DW: Getting a therapist was probably the best thing that ever happened to me, to be honest with you. It was hard at first because you're telling the truth and telling the truth about yourself, which is hard to hear out loud. You find out things about yourself that you didn't even know about.

When I stopped playing, anxiety kicked in. I constantly worried about what was next. Then you got a family to take care of, and the world we're living in doesn't make it any better. It was just so much going on in the world. So when your girl and the kids leave the house, you're automatically nervous. I was in a dark place.

A lot of things took place, bro. It just got to a point where I couldn't do it by myself. It was too much. It was getting to me. So I'd rather speak to somebody who was willing to listen, help me out, and teach me different approaches such as breathing in times of panic.

I want the world to know, especially in our community, that it's OK to have a therapist, man. There's nothing wrong with it. People who are very successful might not have many problems, they even have a therapist. We all need it. And you know how I came up in Philly with all the trauma I've been through. The shootings, the killings, and all that. My story is dark. I feel like if I had a therapist, my career would've been 10 times better. Plus, I feel so much better because I'm not holding anything in. You can exhale.

I'm not just trying to say the right thing; these are real-life situations that forced me to get a therapist. I'm one of the toughest people you'll ever meet, and I had to go get a therapist. I'm happy with it. I'm happy with the decision I made and I'm nowhere near where I want to be, but it's a step. Your family members, they're going to tell you what you want to hear. You'll be blaming somebody else and not fixing yourself. Whatever you have going on in your mind, you need to talk it out. It'll help you, and then you'll be more at ease and more understanding of your situations.

I feel like I've got the world on my shoulders. I've been taking care of my family since I was 15, and I'm still taking care of them, and I haven't played in three years. If you're battling depression, go seek help. I'm still going through my s--t. I still battle anxiety and depression. The thing that I love got taken away, and it was my fault. I'm a young 31. I don't have a lot of miles on me. I got to get back to it.

B/R: I'd imagine you had to humble yourself to work out at a junior high school in hopes of getting a foot back in the NBA door.

DW: I had to humble myself to be here. But at the end of the day, the work is going to speak for itself. I just have to remain confident and remain humble and have an understanding that it's not over until I can't run up and down no more.

That's how I feel. In the last two years, I should have got back to it. I should have kept trying and kept pushing. I was still trying to find myself, bro. I was trying to figure out why. And I learned that I wasn't the victim. I had to take responsibility for my actions. I'm able to teach my son where I went wrong so he won't make the same mistakes I once made.

B/R: What sparked your comeback quest?

DH: My 10-year-old son (Dion Waiters Jr.). He's Lil Philly Cheese Jr. He would ask every day, 'Dad, why you're not playing? You're better than a lot of those guys. You can help a team.'

Those were questions that were hard to listen to. I finally had to tell him the honest truth. I said, 'I'm not playing because of my attitude, my character, and not being a professional.' And I explained that being a professional also meant biting your tongue and not always saying what's on your mind. You know that's what I did, and see where I'm at. But it took for me to sit my ass down to understand that basketball keeps going with or without you.

B/R: What do you want teams to know about this version of Dion Waiters?

DW: A team would get a guy that can come in and play right away and contribute on the court and in the locker room. I can still play-make, score and be a dog on defense. I'm still confident in my abilities, but I have a better mindset of team dynamics and knowing that you have to do what's asked of you.

That's the biggest thing I took away from my absence is the appreciation.

B/R: Is it safe to say you took your NBA tenure for granted?

DW: Yes, most definitely. I was pretty much in a good situation on every team I went to. I had some hiccups here and there, but I really can't complain. I'm just giving it another shot and seeing where it takes me. I miss the game so much.

B/R: Is there one incident in particular that still bothers you in terms of not handling the situation the right way?

DW: Yes, that last year with the Miami Heat and just understanding what was going on in that situation. I was so irresponsible and immature. I let the Heat down. They were good to me. I did not handle it well at all.

The things that were going on were avoidable If I had just shut the hell up and let my agent handle a lot of that stuff. And if I did that, we wouldn't even be here today. I'd still be playing. Everything happens for a reason. I looked myself in the mirror already, bro. I read my rights, I read my wrongs, and now I just got to keep pushing, moving forward and living with the results.

B/R: If you could address everybody that helped you get to the league and those that helped you become successful in the league, what would you tell them?

DW: I apologize to the people I rubbed the wrong way. If I humiliated anybody, including my family, I want to issue a public apology. There were so many people that looked up to me. My city, every organization I've been a part of, and the kids. I probably let a couple of people down by me not playing, because a lot of kids look up to me coming from where I came from. I got tired of being asked if I'm retired. The answer is no because I can still play, and there's a bigger purpose now. So, I apologize for everything that I've done, good or bad. But as a human being, I feel like I had to go through that stuff to learn who I really am.

This is life. You get to change your direction. This life is also fragile. You never know how long you're going to be here. So while we're here, let's just try to enjoy it. We got to keep pushing, and that's what I'm trying to do right now. I've battled some of the darkest days of my life, bro. I ain't going to lie.

B/R: What would a team get in the locker room from you?

DW: Where I'm at today in life, it's about the appreciation, the camaraderie. I miss being with the guys in the locker room. I miss the flights. Right now, I can tell a rookie what not to do and how to do it.

If you think about it, I went through every phase in the league, bro. I was a top-five pick, a starter, not starting, starter again. I went to Miami and had a good situation, and at the peak of my career, I broke my foot. I've been through it all. I would tell the youngsters to stay with it. Come in and work every day, keep your mouth closed, learn how to talk to people, watch a lot of film and just prepare for that moment when your time comes. They'll eventually throw you out there.

I can tell them this now because I've been through it. Life isn't easy. Now that my son is serious about ball, I'm able to tell him that's not going to work in college or in the league. Nobody is going to want you if your attitude is messed up. You can have all the talent in the world. And I'm not going to lie, it feels so good to tell the truth. That's a real vibe of a moment for me. Your dad is telling you the truth. You've seen what I went through. You have to change your mindset and attitude.

My son got game, I can't lie. But it's about his attitude. And that's what I can share with younger teammates. I'm a better player and person.