Why do professional athletes become addicted to video games?

Why do professional athletes become addicted to video games?

LeBron James is a phenomenon in the world of sport and can look back on an impressive list of records: Most points in the nba history, the fourth most frequent triple-doubles and the fifth highest number of three-point throws. But the recent unveiling that James to the top 100 players in the video game NFL 25 belongs to some.

The world of video games and sports

"Lebron is really so good in Madden," says his former teammate, the NBA-Champion Channing Frye, opposite cnn sport .

Video games have gradually integrated into the world of sport for years. On December 21, spectators at NBC Sports and Peacock were able to play the Kansas City Chiefs against the Houston Texans on a Alternative ways, which contained elements of Madden NFL 25, including player reviews and graphics directly from the video game.

Two days earlier, the owner of the New York Jets, Woody johnson , According to reports, the possibility of signing the current wide receiver of the Cleveland Browns, Jerry Jeudy, based on his Madden rating in the game, according to The athletic .

The tendency that top athletes show so much commitment to a video game in question is the outdated idea that professional athletes do not spend much time with video games. It turns out that they do it.

nerd culture in sport

"I was really deepened in World of Warcraft when it came out," recalls Frye. "I was there with Malik Rose, Andrei Kirilenko, Quentin Richardson, Tim Duncan and myself. We were real nerds! And I had the opportunity to play with David Robinson. That was crazy."

Fryes experiences with the game are largely positive. It offers him and other players a place to recover from the stress of competitive sports.

"Dookiedrawls was the online name of my buddy!" He laughs. "I had a snake, and when she bit you, it looked graphically as if she was going to hit you a blow, so I called her Dickpuncher. I then called: 'Get it ready, fat puncher!'"

It is clear that the connection between the NBA and the gaming world goes far beyond the unexpected creativity of Frye.

an overview of the gaming habits of NBA players

"Devin Booker, KD, all these boys play Call of Duty," says Frye. "I think Luka (Dončić) has a rank that is like diamond or platinum in Overwatch. I know that Robin and Brook Lopez Overwatch also play. I would say 75 % of the boys play video games in the NBA."

The former Slam Dunk Contest winner Terrence Ross estimates that the number is even higher. "I would say at least 80 %," he says CNN Sport. "Especially because the NBA is getting younger, many of these boys simply grow with the Playstation, Xbox or whatever."

Ross takes the gaming seriously. The former player of Toronto Raptors, Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns has a functioning arcade machine in his home office, which he calls "happy space", together with a picture of himself as a superhero.

The balance between play and performance

Both Frye and Ross are proud of their gaming skills. Nevertheless, one could say that their achievements are exceeded by those of the former Snooker world champion Neil Robertson.

Robertson is the only snooker player outside the United Kingdom who won the Triple Crown des Sports-the World Cup, the Masters and the UK Championship. He also spent several years to compete with the best in the world in World of Warcraft.

"I was in one of the five best guilds in the world," says the Australian. "There are not many athletes who can say that!"

The problem of gaming and performance

Nevertheless, there are also challenges associated with intensive games. All three athletes speak of great gaming memories, but also of phases in which playing performed.

"There are many boys in the league who have problems with sleeping, simply because we are so much traveling and traveling," says Frye. "And what a video game does is that it keeps you awake. And I saw how boys play all night."

"I spent more time with the video game to see as a basketball. Of course I did my training, but it was so,‘ Should I stay half an hour longer? Ah, no - let me go home earlier so that I can play for 30 minutes. ’

Frye was able to end his relationship with World of Warcraft in good time. "That was the point I thought: 'I have to delete my account.' That was just too much. In summer I didn't even leave my room for 24 hours."

The effects of gaming addiction

The World Health Organization has recognized the “Gaming Disorder” as a health disease since 2019. While Frye does not speak of an addiction, Ross is less sure.

"I can definitely see that," he says. "I had a time when it was a challenge to question my gaming when my son was three or four. I couldn't play four hours a day immediately after training."

"But I noticed that it was a kind of comfort for me that I didn't even notice how I just went to my office and played. It was a usual act that I had to break through it."

conclusion

Athletes are susceptible to gaming addiction, and the reasons for this are diverse. The high competitiveness and the long trips can lead to gaming serving as an escape. But understanding and support in this area are crucial. With the right instructions, video games can help athletes to relax and at the same time maintain their social relationships while they have to anchor themselves in real life.