Ex-NBA player Tony Snell, 31, discovers he has autism after his son was diagnosed at 18 months old

Former NBA swingman Tony Snell says that an important diagnosis of his son led to the revelation of something about himself.

Speaking on NBC’s ‘Today’ on Friday, Snell said that he found out as an adult that he had autism after his 2-year-old son Karter was diagnosed at 18-months-old. 

‘I’m like, ‘You know what, if he’s diagnosed [with autism], then I think I am [on the autism spectrum] too.’ So that gave me the courage to go get checked up,’ Snell told ‘Today.’

Snell said that growing up in California, he was ‘always independent… Always being alone. I just couldn’t connect with people on the personal side of things.’

While it may be surprising that he wasn’t diagnosed until age 31, Snell said that the news made sense.

Ex-NBA swingman Tony Snell said he was diagnosed with autism at the age of 31

Snell says his son’s diagnosis at 18 months old led him to getting tested for autism as well

‘I was not surprised, because I always felt different,’ Snell said. ‘I was just relieved, like “Ahh, this is why I am the way I am.” 

‘It just made my whole life, everything about my life, make so much sense. It was like a clarity, like putting some 3-D glasses on.’

Snell was selected 20th overall by the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2013 NBA Draft.

He has played for the Milwaukee Bucks, Detroit Pistons, Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers, and – most recently – with the New Orleans Pelicans in his NBA career.

This season, Snell played for the Maine Celtics – the G-League affiliate of the Boston Celtics.

Snell said that not being diagnosed earlier in his life may have been helpful in his efforts to make it into the NBA. 

Snell has played for six NBA teams – but spent this past season in Maine in the G-League

‘I think I’d have probably been limited with the stuff I could probably do,’ Snell said. ‘I don’t think I’d have been in the NBA if I was diagnosed with autism [at his son’s age]. 

‘Because back then, like, what is autism? They’d have probably put a limit or a cap on my abilities.’

As for his son, Snell says that he wants to ensure that, ‘[he] knows that I have his back.’

‘When I was a kid, I felt different, but I can show him that I’m right here with you and we’re going to ride this thing together, we’re going to grow together and we’re going to accomplish a lot of things together.’