ROUNDUP — Through the decades, Roundup’s gymnasium has echoed everything from game-winning cheers to physical education teachers enforcing rules.
On Wednesday, the atmosphere shifted to near silence as Chris Herren, a former NBA player, spoke about his tragic spiral into drug abuse that unraveled not only his career but also the fabric of his life.
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“Cocaine was my truth," Herren told MTN Sports in the quiet setting of Roundup’s school library before resonating his message in a student assembly. "Cocaine allowed me to be vulnerable and talk openly and share with people what I struggle with.”
Herren, a former starter for the Denver Nuggets and Boston Celtics, shared his experiences with raw honesty.
“You know, heroin had me for a long time. But the lifestyle and cost of heroin, I couldn’t sustain,” The Fall River, Mass., native explained in thick East Coast accent.
He was telling MTN Sports what he’s already shared with over a million coeds as Roundup students funneled into the gym to hear his redemption story — a story so unimaginable, Herren was actually the subject of ESPN’s 30 for 30 docuseries.
After drawing sellout high school crowds in basketball gyms in Massachusetts, he would sign with Boston College, choosing to play close to home. That’s where Herren was introduced to his first line of white powder.
“Cocaine allowed me to converse and sit still and be honest,” Herren said.
His cocaine addiction lasted 14 years, leading to his expulsion from Boston College and barely scraping through at Fresno State. Despite being drafted by the Nuggets in 1999, drugs tightened their grip on Herren as he turned to prescription opioids.
“Oxy is poison,” he said. “I mean, I became toxic immediately.”
Herren says he spent approximately $20,000 a month on OxyContin, often meeting his dealer near the arena in Boston. Once, he was less than five minutes from tipoff.
“Just another day,” he remarked of his lifestyle at the time. When asked if he often played high, Herren replied, “I wouldn’t have played if I wasn’t. My body wouldn’t have been able to respond.”
He got married and became a father, but addiction took a toll, leaving his family in debt.
“I felt a lot of shame. I felt less … I didn’t feel like a father,” he said.
At one point, he resorted to selling his kids' toys for drug money. While in rehab, Herren was allowed a day to witness the birth of his third child, but he faltered shortly after.
“What seems to be one of the worst days of my life became one of the best,” he said, recalling how his treatment counselor delivered a life-altering ultimatum. “Play dead. Play dead from your family," the counselor bluntly advised. "Your kids are better off without you. Your wife needs to move on from you."
Somehow that night, those words hit home.
"By the grace of God, I chose sobriety,” he said.
While Herren is unsure why the counselor’s words resonated with him, he has been sober for 17 years.
His message to Roundup students — and those contemplating substance use — was clear: “Why the hell would you do that to all these people who love you … and do it to yourself for that feeling?” Herren said out of love, he would hug his child, sibling, parent or friend while asking that very question if the situation arose.
His words evoked tears from some in the gym, proving his message resonated.
“I think it hit home for people in our school,” said Stella Morton, a Roundup senior. “There were a couple people that left … that needed a minute.”
Principal Rylie Mayo carefully selected Herren as a speaker, understanding the importance of addressing the delicate topic.
“I knew it was going to be a difficult subject for our kids,” Mayo said. “I was kind of glancing around and the kids who I kind of knew it was going to hit — it hit.”
Herren says he doesn’t watch much NBA anymore, but loves playing tennis for the challenge of relying on no subs … and no timeouts.
Herren’s story serves as a powerful reminder that redemption can emerge from the most unexpected places, like a small gym in Roundup where, even today, he remains vigilant against addiction's pitfalls.
“I’ve been challenged and faced those moments, but, you know … I’m still sober,” Herren said with a proud smile.
