Nick Young breaks down speaking about brother's death on Special Forces: World's Toughest Test

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, season 4, returned with a new episode on October 9, 2025.

Titled Warzone, the segment saw former basketball player Nick Young break down as he reminisced about the death of his eldest brother, Charles Jr.

Nick’s late brother was shot and killed in 1991 by a member of the Bloods, L.A.’s notorious street gang.

At the time, the Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test star was only five. 

The 2007 documentary film, Second Chance Season, told the story of Nick Young, who tried to redeem the well-being of his family after their eldest son’s murder. 

Produced by Emmy-winning sports director Daniel Forer, the documentary showcased the impact the murder had on Nick’s family, as it left behind a pregnant girlfriend and committed another brother to a psychiatric institution. 

In episode 3 of the FOX series, Nick reminisced about his brother and explained that he developed his humorous side as a response to the incident.

He believed it was his job to keep his family happy, so he put on a front for the sake of his loved ones. 

Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, Season 4: Nick Young opens up about using humor as a coping mechanism

Nick landed in a vulnerable situation when asked to walk across a ladder four storeys above the ground. 

Although he was determined to prove that he took things seriously, he struggled to perform the task.

“I feel like people don’t see like the hard work it takes to get to where I’m at,” he added.

Despite the motivation, he could not balance himself on the ladder, saying he was “too heavy” for the challenge. 

At the halfway point, he stated that he did not want to continue playing the game and joked:

“This ain’t my game. I like a basketball and a court.”

After multiple attempts to complete the challenge without touching the ladder, Nick gave up and held the ladder for support. 

The experts criticized him for cheating his way out of the task, saying it was “embarrassing” how he let his fears overwhelm him. 

While speaking to the Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test cameras, Nick laughed about his performance and shared that joking was his way of dealing with tough times. 

After returning to boot camp, the experts called him into the interrogation room to understand why he joked during difficult situations.

The DS told him straight away that he found Nick’s behavior “arrogant” and “rude.” He added that the constant grin on his face seemed “disrespectful.”

Nick explained that the laughter and the smiling were his ways of managing nerves. 

When the expert asked him to be vulnerable and face his fears, instead of blocking them with humor, Nick broke down in tears, saying he did not want to go to that place. 

The Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test star then opened up about his late brother. 

“I lost my brother when I was younger. I was like the baby of the family. My job, to me, was to make my mom and my dad feel happy. Just trying to be cool and laugh and joke and smile it off like it’s okay,” he said. 

Nick recalled that his brother was shot when he was walking with his pregnant girlfriend. Since losing him, Nick felt like he had to get the family “back on track.”

The experts motivated him to find a purpose and hone his skills that got him to “the top.”

They also warned him that if he did not perform moving forward, he would be sent home. 

In a separate confessional, the Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test star said that basketball brought joy into his household. As a result, he felt motivated to get to the NBA. 

Stay tuned for more updates.