How Tony Snell’s Late Autism Diagnosis Helped Him and His Son

Former NBA player Tony Snell received his son’s diagnosis, which encouraged him to get checked up, too.

When our kids receive a diagnosis, it encourages us to find out if we have it, too. While some come out to be genetic carriers, dads like former no. 20 of the Chicago Bulls Tony Snell discovered through his son, Carter, that they have the same diagnosis. He and his wife, Ashley, saw that their little boy began missing some “developmental milestones,” which led them to find out that he [Carter] did have autism.

“By 18 months, he still wasn’t talking. He was doing a lot of stimming (repetitive behaviors) and needed to have at least 6 or 7 toys in his hands. Usually, one was a basketball,” Ashley Snell laughs a little while sharing her insights in an interview with Today.

A kid’s early diagnosis makes any parent wonder

It was a eureka moment for Tony when he heard the diagnosis, making him reflect on his own childhood experiences. “I was always independent. I’ve always been alone,” the 31-year-old former pro-basketball player explains. “And I couldn’t connect with people. Then, I realized: ‘You know what? If he’s [Carter] diagnosed then, I think I am, too.”

When he received his official diagnosis, Tony Snell admits that he isn’t surprised. “I wasn’t surprised because I always felt different,” he explains. “I was just relieved. Like, ‘Oh, this is why I’m the way I am.’ It just made my whole life suddenly make more sense.”

He describes it as a clarity moment wherein he “wears 3D glasses,” further explaining how it’s quite “underdiagnosed” in his community. “We don’t have much knowledge about it,” he adds. “Some people are also nervous to open up. Everyone has a lot going on individually.”

But what’s interesting is that he admits that “knowing his diagnosis earlier” may have limited his abilities as a basketball player due to the limited research on the topic. “I think I would have been limited with the stuff I do. I don’t think I would have made it to the NBA if I was diagnosed with autism back then because — what was autism? People would have been quicker to put a cap on my abilities.”

All diagnoses at the right time

Getting diagnosed as an adult doesn’t mean there’s nothing parents can do about it. Armed with a new level of awareness, it gives us a better idea of what our kids are going through because they got it from us. Tony Snell admits that his diagnosis gives him a chance to better support his son.

“I wanna make sure that my son knows that I have his back,” he says. “When I was a kid, I felt different. But now, I can show him: I’m right here with you.”

According to Today’s Interview, he is currently coaching in the Special Olympics to show that they too are capable of greatness.

More about adults learning about their diagnosis?

Sia Reveals Autism Diagnosis: “I Have Become Fully Myself.”
Adulting With ADHD or Autism: Coping in the Typical World
What Martin Nievera Learned About His Son’s Autism