The 28-year-old San Antonio Spurs player said that when playing the sport, he can 'make sense of things', including the breakdown of his marriage to the Desperate Housewives actress.
In an interview with France's Le Parisien, he said, 'The most important thing is to stay strong mentally, even if these are very difficult times.
'I've taken refuge in basketball because that's what I've done best since my youth.
'You have to know how to keep things in perspective. I am, first of all, a basketball player.
'I've done this for so very long… For me, it's been essential to be successful on the court.'