Larry Sanders explained his decision to step away from basketball in an interview with The Players Tribune.

Sanders agreed to a buyout with the Milwaukee Bucks last week.

"Everyone has to make a living. I’m no different from the person whose 9-to-5 isn’t their dream job," said Sanders. "It’s a scary thing to walk away from security but I’m more afraid of living with the “what if.”

"I love basketball, and if I get to a point where I feel I’m capable of playing basketball again, I will. I’ve had to make the difficult decision to follow my intuition, and allow myself the space and time to explore my true purpose in life."

Sanders also revealed he had checked himself into a clinic Rogers Memorial Hospital, a program for anxiety, depression and mood disorders.

"It taught me a lot about myself. It taught me a lot about what's important and where I want to devote my energy."