Manhasset CASA will present a Town Hall Meeting with Chris Herren on Thursday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Manhasset High School Auditorium. Parents and residents are invited to hear Herren’s compelling story of courage, humility and perseverance. Admission is free and open to the public.
For NBA Star Chris Herren, the unthinkable did happen. Herren’s issues began early in high school with underage drinking and then he grew up to be a heroin addict and lost his NBA career to an addiction. Students in grades 9-12 will also meet Herren and hear his story during the school day.
The 6’2’ guard from Fall River, Massachusetts, scored 2,073 career points while at Durfee High School. A Boston Globe and Gatorade player of the year, Herren received numerous awards and honors during his high school career, including being named to the McDonald’s All-American team in 1994.
Recruited by the top Division 1 programs in the country, Herren chose Boston College only to break his wrist during his first collegiate game. Sidelined by his injury, Herren failed several drug tests and left Boston College. Picked up by Fresno State and legendary coach Jerry Tarkanian, Herren went on to lead the WAC in assists and steals, and was named to the all-WAC first team in 1996 and 1997.
Herren was drafted in the second round (4th pick, 33rd overall) of the 1999 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played one year with the Nuggets seeing action in 45 games prior to being traded to the Boston Celtics in 2000. As a Celtic Herren had a career-high 18 points against Dallas, only to suffer a season-ending injury.
Herren struggled with substance abuse for much of his basketball career. Alcohol and drug-free since August 1, 2008, he has refocused his life to put his sobriety and family above all else. In June 2009, Herren launched Hoop Dreams with Chris Herren, a basketball player development company which offers basketball training, camps, and clinics to top basketball prospects in New England. Chris Herren’s memoir, Basketball Junkie, written with Providence Journal columnist Bill Reynolds, was released in 2011 chronicles his struggles with addiction on and off the basketball court.
Herren is also the subject of the Emmy award nominated ESPN films documentary Unguarded, directed by Jonathan Hock. The documentary, narrated by Herren and those closest to him, follows him as he realizes his dream to play in the NBA for the Boston Celtics only to lose it all to addiction before rising again with a new dream.
Off the court, Chris continues to share his story with audiences in the hopes of reaching just one person and making a difference in his or her life. To support this vision, he founded The Herren Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing assistance to families affected by addiction. In 2012 The Herren Project launched a national anti-substance abuse campaign, Project Purple, to encourage people of all ages to stand up to substance abuse and Herren was the recipient of a 2012 SAMSHA Voice Award.
For more information about this exceptional community presentation, please contact Manhasset CASA at 267-7548 or go to their website at Manhassetcasa.org.
