Chris Herren

About the Speaker

An extraordinary basketball player, Chris Herren was a celebrated star in his native Fall River, MA before graduating high school. He went on to play at Boston College and Fresno State, two seasons in the NBA – including one with his hometown team, the Boston Celtics – and seven seasons overseas before losing it all to the disease of addiction.

With the unwavering support of his family and friends, Chris has been sober since August 1, 2008, and he now shares his story with the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of others.

His recovery journey has been documented in the bestselling memoir, “Basketball Junkie,” the Emmy-nominated ESPN Films documentary, “Unguarded” and in countless local, national and international stories by The New York Times, The Boston Globe, and Sports Illustrated, among others. Through Herren Talks, Chris has spoken to over one million students and community members, sparking honest discussions about substance use disorder and wellness.

In 2011, Chris grew his vision of support for others when he founded the nonprofit Herren Project. Through the organization, Chris and his team empower schools and communities to make healthy choices, while also guiding families through recovery. In 2018, Chris also founded Herren Wellness, a residential health and wellness program that helps guests lead healthy, substance-free lives.

Porter-Gaud is honored to host Chris Herren, a former professional basketball player, speaker, and wellness advocate, for a presentation on Thursday, January 30, from 6-7 p.m. in Gwynette Auditorium. Sponsored by the PGPA, this programming is part of Porter-Gaud’s ongoing efforts to strengthen substance use prevention learning opportunities for our students and families.

In this very personal presentation, Chris will share his recovery journey in a brutally honest format. His story of struggle, strength, and resilience is one that resonates with audiences of all ages.

The event will start with a five-minute film introducing the speaker and showing highlights of his basketball career and his dream to play in the NBA which began to unravel by making a few bad decisions. From growing up in Fall River, Massachusetts, to playing Division 1 basketball and in the NBA, he will take the audience on his journey from addiction to sobriety. Additionally, he will relate his story to the audience addressing themes of gateway drugs, prescription drug use, vaping and the responsibility of prevention starting with us all. To conclude the event, Chris will field questions from the audience.

This event is open to all Porter-Gaud parents and caregivers. Please RSVP using the form below. Childcare for ages 5 and up will be provided, and you will have an opportunity to register for childcare during the RSVP process. We hope you can join us!

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