MILLWOOD, W.Va. — When former NBA player Chris Herren first told the story of his drug addiction to Massachusetts students, he did not realize he would still be doing it seven years later.
“My heart and soul is in it with the kids, and that’s where I find my passion and my energy to continue to do it so often,” he said. “Eighty percent of the time I am in front of students.”
Herren was invited to speak to children last week at the West Virginia Air National Guard Armory in Millwood. Herren, who spent seven years playing basketball for NBA and international teams, spoke to children about how he became an addict and his work with The Herren Project.
“I think we put way too much emphasis and focus on how bad it gets in the end rather than how it begins,” he said. “Early intervention is critical in our lives, but the focus is always the end and I want to focus on the beginning.”
Herren said education is crucial in preventing more people from taking up risky drug behaviors, something that is overlooked nationally.
“There’s more treatment centers than there’s ever been in America. There’s more medicine than there’s ever been to treat it,” he said. “And yet the numbers keep increasing.
Herren does 250 visits a year, speaking to multiple groups regarding his story. He said he wants to continue reaching out to children, especially in areas as affected as West Virginia.
“I’ve never heard such sadness as I’ve heard in West Virginia,” he said. “There’s never been as much sadness around this topic.”
Herren’s story was covered in the 2011 ESPN film, “UnGuarded,” which was nominated for an Emmy.
MetroNews affiliate WMOV Radio in Ravenswood contributed to this report.