Iowa Hawkeyes upperclassman forward Patrick McCaffery will take a leave of absence from the team. He is taking this leave to address his struggles with anxiety. According to McCaffery, he has been dealing with this for some time and it has impacted his ability to prepare and perform on the court. McCaffery has started all 14 games this season for the Iowa Hawkeyes. He is the son of Head Coach Fran McCaffery. The team is being supportive of him during his battle with anxiety.
Iowa’s Patrick McCaffery will be taking an indefinite leave to address anxiety.
One of my favorite kids I have ever been around. Take care of yourself, @patrickmccaff22. Hoops is secondary to your health.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 3, 2023
This season in 14 games with the Iowa Hawkeyes, Patrick McCaffery averaged 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He paired those numbers with a field goal percentage of 40 percent and a three-point percentage of 33.3 percent. McCaffery said the following about his decision to step away: “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. It might be two games, it may be four games, it may be more, but I will return when I feel like myself”.
We here at Def Pen Sports wish McCaffery the best in his recovery and hopeful return to the basketball court.
