Iowa’s Patrick McCaffery, Son Of Head Coach, Stepping Away From Team To Address Anxiety

Iowa redshirt junior Patrick McCaffery said Tuesday that he's stepping away from the team due to anxiety.

McCaffery, a forward, is the son of Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery.

In a statement released by Patrick McCaffery, the starter announced his decision.

“My struggle with anxiety affects every aspect of my well-being and makes it incredibly difficult to function normally,” Patrick said. “This is what I am battling right now. For this reason, I am taking an indefinite leave to address my situation."

At the age of 13, Patrick McCaffery was diagnosed with cancer. Within his statement, he noted that his leave of absence is unrelated to his previous cancer battle.

"It might be two games, it may be four games, it may be more, but I will return when I feel like myself. My leave of absence is not related to my past battle with cancer," continued McCaffery.

Iowa forward Patrick McCaffery and coach Fran McCaffery. (Getty Images).

Patrick McCaffery Had Been Playing Well

Despite his struggles with anxiety, McCaffery had been succeeding on the court. In 14 games, McCaffery has averaged 12.8 points and 4.8 rebounds. Iowa is currently 8-6.

Following his son's announcement, Fran McCaffery offered his support. “Patrick is one of the millions of people who battle through anxiety on a daily basis,” coach McCaffery noted. He later added: "All of us admire his courage and willingness to be open about this struggle and we hope others know that they are not alone. We will be with him every step of the way.”

Iowa hosts Indiana in a battle of Big Ten teams on Thursday evening.

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