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Who is Kyle Singler? Former Duke athlete's videos spark concern
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- Who is Kyle Singler? Former Duke athlete's videos spark concern
Former professional basketball player Kyle Singler posted a series of social media videos that have raised concerns among fans and mental health experts, as he made serious allegations about his safety and repeatedly called out former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski, commonly known as Coach K, in a plea for help.
Teresa Behrend Fletcher, director of Adler University's Sport and Human Performance program, told Newsweek , "From what I see, Kyle Singler is struggling and for whatever reason, he believed reaching out through social media was the solution."
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"There could be a number of reasons for this behavior, including mental illness, substance use, stress, trauma, bad decision-making or a combination of factors," she added.
Sports psychologist Dr. Jarrod Spencer told Newsweek that "While I can't diagnose him from this video, it clearly seems that he is struggling from 'hurt held inward,' which is a definition of depression, and 'fear of the unknown,' which is a definition of anxiety."
Newsweek has reached out to Singler and Duke Athletics for comment via email on Wednesday.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kyle Singler is pictured during an NBA basketball media day in Oklahoma City, Monday, Sept. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
Who Is Kyle Singler?
Singler, 38, is a former professional basketball player who previously played at Duke University, where he helped lead the Blue Devils to the 2010 NCAA men's basketball championship and was named the NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. He was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft.
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He was later traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2015, where he spent four seasons. He last appeared in an NBA game during the 2017-18 season.
The Oregon native largely stayed out of the public eye until a series of recent social media videos sparked concern among fans and former players, leading to calls for support and wellness checks. He previously had posted a video in 2024 that sparked alarm among some fans.
What Are Mental Health Experts Saying?
Fletcher cautioned against drawing conclusions and "[determining] the breadth and depth of anyone's' challenges" based on limited public information about an individual's circumstances. Singler has not publicly disclosed a mental health diagnosis.
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Fletcher also noted that oftentimes "the stigma of mental illness along with shame and perceived or even real consequences," prevents athletes from accessing the proper care and seeking mental health support.
Despite those challenges, Fletcher expressed hope that public attention surrounding the videos could ultimately lead to support and treatment if needed, noting that "social media can be both a blessing and a curse."
Mental health experts say the transition out of competitive sports can be very difficult for some former athletes. Spencer told Newsweek that "many athletes struggle with mental health concerns in the transitional process from competing to beyond."
Spencer noted that one contributing factor is the sudden loss of the physical and psychological benefits associated with high-level competition. He continued, "One of the reasons is that training at a very high level can sometimes mask some of the lower levels of serotonin and dopamine that can be associated with depression because athletes [are] getting megadoses of that from extreme workouts daily."
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Beyond the end of competition itself, Spencer said retired athletes can also lose access to support systems that were available during their playing careers. "Secondly, a major problem for retired athletes is that there often are not a continuation of mental health services that typically were provided by a university or a professional sports team, and the athletes are left to find and pay for those services on their own," he said.
Many college athletic programs and professional sports organizations provide mental health services and counseling resources for athletes, reflecting a broader effort to address mental health concerns and reduce barriers to care.
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kyle Singler, left, shoots as Los Angeles Lakers center Ivica Zubac defends during the second half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Feb. 8, 2018, in Los Angeles. The Lakers won 106-81. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
What Did Kyle Singler Post?
Singler posted a series of videos on Instagram on Tuesday in which he made a range of allegations about his safety and Coach K.
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"Man, Coach K has set me up," Singler said in the first video. He continued, "Set me up, man. I have no power. I have no house. I've reached out to coach and everybody has turned the other way. I've reached out to Coach and he has fully dismissed the message."
He continued, "You guys are cutting my power off, breaking into my house, stealing money, ruining my life. I reached out to Coach K and all he did was sit me on the bench. Thanks, man. Is that what we're doing at school, sitting people down, teaching them up? Cool beans, man."
He concluded the video, "Coach, where you at? Help a brother out. Thought we were on the same team, man."
In a second video captioned "Now we talk'n," Singler said, "I can't even live anymore. Can't even say, 'Hey, how's it going?' without confrontation. I've reach out to coach, again everybody knows what's going on, I'm living in a whole other world. Coach, I need your help, man."
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Singler also said he felt trapped and disconnected from those around him, saying, "I'm stuck at my house and I can't leave. I feel imprisoned. Where we at? Leaving people stranded. I've tried to share messages about where we're at and back home, I've got people, my friends, family, devastated and gone, died."
He added that people were "breaking into my house," adding that people are "trying to kill me."
In his third video, he said, "I can't even do anything, all my accounts are hijacked and frozen. I have people watching my residents." He added that he was "locked" in his house and has "no freedom anymore."
As of Wednesday, Singler's Instagram account has four videos, one of which is a duplicate, and more than 42,000 followers. Several commenters urged the former NBA player to seek mental health support.
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Singler had previously posted an Instagram video in November 2024, saying , "I have been mistreated and abused, neglected, made into a mental example. And I fear for my life every day. And people in my community make me look out as if I'm going to be someone that's going to be a problem and make things difficult for people when I'm only trying to be helpful."
Several players reached out to Singler at the time, including Miami Heat's Kevin Love, who wrote, "I love you Kyle. Hit me whenever. Please," and Philadelphia 76ers Andre Drummond, who said, "You aren't alone brother! I'm here for you."
Who Is Coach K?
Krzyzewski, widely known as Coach K, is one of the most successful coaches in college basketball history. He spent 42 seasons as Duke University's men's basketball coach, leading the Blue Devils to five NCAA championships and winning more games than any coach in Division I men's basketball history before retiring in 2022.
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Krzyzewski also coached the U.S. men's national team and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Singler was among a long list of prominent players coached by Krzyzewski at Duke, a group that includes Grant Hill, Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum, Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram, JJ Redick, Christian Laettner and Shane Battier. Like Singler, many of those players went on to successful NBA careers.
When Was Kyle Singler Arrested?
In October 2025, Oklahoma police arrested Singler for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend.
He was charged with misdemeanor assault after his girlfriend told Oklahoma authorities that Singler chased her, grabbed her head, and shoved her to the ground. An arrest affidavit cited by News On 6 alleges that Singler threatened to rape his girlfriend, the mother of his child, during a domestic incident that authorities said occurred in the presence of the child.
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If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Jason Lemon and Gray R. Thomas
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