From addiction to awareness: Former NBA player shares his story of redemption

Former NBA player, Chris Herren speaks to a group of youth basketball players. Photo / Getty

At 18 years old Chris Herren walked into his Boston College dorm room and did his first line of cocaine.

The decision would haunt the former NBA player and spin his life out of control for 14 harrowing years.

Herren was a basketball prodigy, scoring a record amount of points in high school, appearing on the cover of Sports Illustrated and fielding scholarship offers from prestigious USA universities such as Duke and Kentucky.

Through his short NBA career with the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics, Herren, battled with drug and alcohol addiction, but is now eight years sober and able to tell his story.

Chris Herren and Boston Celtics coach Rick Pitino suffer a loss. Photo / Getty

In an interview with Radio Sport's Charlie Bristow, Herren reveals how he was told to "play dead" after a fourth overdose on Heroin and how he managed to still get his hands on Methamphetamine and alcohol whilst playing basketball in Iran.

For more information on Chris Herren and his goal of assisting those taking the first steps towards sobriety, follow the link below.

www.theherrenproject.org