SOUTH BEND, Ind. — John Paxson is returning to his Notre Dame roots.
The three-time NBA champion and former Notre Dame star was announced Wednesday as the newest member of the board of directors of Golden Minds, the mental health platform of the Golden Touch name, image and likeness collective.
Golden Minds launched in 2022 alongside Golden Touch to support the mental health challenges college athletes tend to face and provide them with NIL opportunities. Golden Minds and Golden Touch work with student-athletes at Notre Dame, as well as St. Mary's College and Holy Cross College, South Bend's three-campus community.
“The student-athletes that Golden Touch and Golden Minds seek to help are not only dealing with the stress of being student-athletes, but also of being young people growing up in an increasingly complex world,” said Paxson, a student at Notre Dame of 1983. Lady graduate. “And as the son of a mother who dealt with depression her entire life, I know firsthand how something like this can affect everyone connected to that person and beyond.”
Paxson's appointment was announced by Golden Touch founder Karen Phelps, whose father, Digger Phelps, coached Paxson at Notre Dame. Paxson will also lead a fundraising campaign for the collective, the group said.
Paxson played 11 NBA seasons with Chicago and San Antonio, helping the Bulls win NBA titles in 1991, 1992 and 1993.
