Top 4 NBA players with autism: Looking at athletes who came out publicly with their ASD diagnosis

Tony Snell made headlines by revealing that both he and his son were diagnosed with autism. The news came as a shock to many in the NBA community who have become accustomed to watching Snell play over the years.

Despite that, it didn't come as a great surprise to Snell, who said that he felt he was always different in a way. As the NBA community continues its outpouring of support for the journeyman guard, let's take a look at other NBA players with autism, many of whom have become great advocates.

#1 Tony Snell

Milwaukee Bucks vs. Cleveland Cavaliers

Tony Snell was drafted 20th in 2013 by the Chicago Bulls. After spending the first three seasons of his career in Chicago, Snell landed in Milwaukee, where he took his career to new heights, averaging a career-high 29.2 minutes per game.

After bouncing around four different teams over the past four years, Snell landed on the Maine Celtics of the G League, where he played one game this season.

#2 Gary Neal

Washington Wizards logo

Gary Neal is one of the most notable NBA players with autism given that, unlike Tony Snell, he was diagnosed with ASD at a young age. Despite that, he had a long professional basketball career from 2007-2019, with time in the NBA that spanned from 2010-2017.

Since retiring from basketball in 2019, he made the transition to coaching, working as an assistant coach for the Towson Tigers in NCAA Division I.

#3 Royce White

BIG3 championship

Royce White has been an advocate not just for NBA players with autism, but for mental health as well. After being drafted 16th in 2012, White made headlines for being one of the first players to advocate for mental health resources.

As a rookie, he went so far as to sit out until the league provided mental health resources for players, sparking an unprecedented change.

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#4 Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf

When looking at NBA players with autism, Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf is the most well-known name on the list. Although Abdul-Rauf wasn't diagnosed with ASD until he was an adult, he has since become an advocate for athletes with ASD.

The third pick in the 1990 draft, Abdul-Rauf played nine NBA seasons. He averaged a career-high 19.2 points per game in two separate seasons.

Abdul-Rauf also was diagnosed with a moderate form of Tourette syndrome at 17, but he was still twice an All-American in high school before starring for the LSU Tigers.

He was a two-time All-American and two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year in his only two seasons at LSU, averaging 29.0 points per game. The school retired his No. 35 jersey in 2020.

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