An Iowa Hawkeyes basketball player revealed that they have anxiety and it has caused them to leave the program temporarily.
Patrick McCaffery, the son of Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery, revealed the details of his battle with anxiety in a statement on Tuesday night. The Hawkeyes men’s basketball Twitter account published the statement, which read in full:
“I have been battling anxiety for a while, and recently it has peaked, which has inhibited my preparation and performance on the court. It’s not fair to myself or teammates to be on the court when I am not myself. The anxiety has affected my sleep, appetite, and stamina, which has resulted in not having the energy level necessary to compete at my full capabilities. My struggle with anxiety affects every aspect of my well-being and makes it incredibly difficult to function normally. This is what I am battling right now. For this reason, I am taking an indefinite leave to address my situation. It might be two games, it may be four games, it may be more, but I will return when I feel like myself. My leave of absence is not related to my past battle with cancer.”
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) January 3, 2023
The AP reported that intensive observation into McCaffrey’s behaviors and sleep habits have increased after surgery that removed his thyroid following a diagnosis of thyroid cancer at 13 years old.
