Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a name that resonates with basketball fans for his relentless motor and defensive intensity. As a college standout at the University of Kentucky, he won a national championship in 2012. Drafted as the second-overall pick in the NBA Draft the same year, he went on to play nine years in the NBA for the Charlotte Bobcats/Hornets and the Dallas Mavericks. Kidd-Gilchrist has transitioned from the basketball court to a new, deeply personal mission as a leading advocate for the stuttering community. 

Using his platform to raise awareness, through his organization Change & Impact, Inc., Kidd-Gilchrist fights for improved healthcare access to speech therapy and champions legislative change to help those who share his journey.

After years of shying away from public speaking, during the COVID-19 pandemic, while playing in the NBA bubble, Kidd-Gilchrist became aware of all the barriers the stuttering community faces. Stuttering affects 1% of the U.S. population from rural, suburban, and urban communities, which is approximately 3.5 million people. Following this revelation, Kidd-Gilchrist knew it was his calling to take action.

“I am a proud person, a proud father, husband, brother, and son, but I also stutter. I've stuttered my whole life,” Kidd-Gilchrist told BET. “I've always been the one to be a leader. I never needed anyone to say to me, ‘Hey, you do that over there.’ So I want all in on the one thing that I knew had to be done for stutterers like myself. “

“I also learned that therapy is not covered by a lot of insurance,” he continued. “So I really wanted to help create change.”

In 2021, Kidd-Gilchrist launched Change & Impact, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving healthcare access and expanding resources for individuals who stutter. His advocacy work has led him into an entirely new game: politics.

"In politics, I had to learn how to ask, who to ask, and when I ask. At first, I didn't know the difference between a Democrat or a Republican. I interned in DC a few times to learn the process of making policies. I didn't know a lot about the process, to be frank,” Kidd-Gilchrist explained. “ As an African American, I was fearful of going to Capitol Hill, but I was open to it. I was open to learning about making a change for the stuttering community.”

In a few short years, Kidd-Gilchrist’s work on behalf of the stuttering began to bear fruit. He helped pass bills mandating insurance coverage for stuttering treatment in several states. Coming from his background as a professional athlete, he never thought that he would be involved in this type of work.

“I didn’t think I would ever work in politics,” he laughed. “I have my faith, my family, and my friends behind me. Having success in this space really means a lot. I have passed bills in Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and also in New York. I'm on a mission to help people just like me.”

Kidd-Gilchrist also encouraged other professional athletes to share their struggles and discover that they are not alone. He expressed his gratitude for DeMar DeRozan and Kevin Love, who went public with their mental health battles.

“I am the minority of the minority. I am a Black man, an ex-athlete, and I have a stutter. There aren't a lot of us out there. So, for any athlete who has anxiety, depression, or ADHD, come on out,” Kidd-Gilchrist said. “It’s a hard thing to be open in this space. As a kid and as an athlete, I've been picked on and made fun of in interviews, but I'm here now. I want to thank my wife, my family, and my friends for supporting me on this journey.”

Throughout the political process, Kidd-Gilchrist has learned that patience is a requirement. He noted that bills don’t pass overnight, and you have to be committed for the long haul.

“It is a process with bills and legislation. I had to meet the members of the Senate and the members of the House to create a bond and build relationships,” he said. “I had to show them that I wanted to put in the work and that I wasn’t going to be here today and gone tomorrow.”

On the basketball side of things, Kidd-Gilchrist is still an avid fan of the game and watches all levels of basketball.  When asked where he would rank his University of Kentucky championship team against other great teams, he said without hesitation that they were one of the best.

“I have to say that we are one of the best. There are not too many teams that had a number one and a two pick on the same team, Anthony Davis and me,” he said. “So I have to be honest. We were one of them ones.”

According to Kidd-Gilchrist, the NBA is doing better than ever with the emergence of new stars that have taken the baton.

“As far as the game today,  I think the NBA is in great hands,” he said. “While I don’t have a favorite team, I still watch the games all the time.

Above all, Kidd-Gilchrist wants to leave behind a legacy of service that will make his family proud and inspire future generations. This work, for Kidd-Gilchrist, is the biggest game of his life.

“My vision is to leave behind legislation across the country for the stuttering community. I know that those kids and those parents may not know me,” Kidd-Gilchrist said. “ I don't need the credit, but it feels good to leave a path behind for my kids and my family. I would have never thought that I would be getting bills passed. It feels good to do this work. And I'm not stopping.”