Basketball Junkie A Memoir

At Durfee High School in Fall River, Massachusetts, Chris Herren carried the weight of a declining mill town's hopes in his hands. In a town rich with basketball history, the charismatic guard broke scoring records, was courted by top colleges, and became the focus of an acclaimed book, Fall River Dreams. Herren's youthful legend concealed a darker side, and his dream soon became a nightmare of drug addiction - first alcohol, then cocaine, finally heroin. A chaotic college career led to the NBA, and when the Boston Celtics acquired his contract, he realized every New England kid's dream. But off the court, Herren was spiraling down and out. Married with three young children and desperate for money to feed the hunger that consumed his career and life, he hit bottom when he was found in Fall River, near death over the wheel of his car, a bag of heroin on the passenger seat. Sober since 2008, the one-time star has rejoined his family, and now mentors young players and speaks to high schools, colleges, and organizations about his experiences. Featured in the ESPN documentary film "Unguarded," Basketball Junkie is harrowing in Chris Herren's descent, and heartening in his return.

CHRIS HERREN is a former NBA basketball player for the Denver Nuggets and the Boston Celtics. His company, Hoop Dreams with Chris Herren, Inc., provides basketball training for young players as well as educational talks. He lives in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.

 

Chris Herren is the founder of Hoop Dreams with Chris Herren, a basketball player development company; the author of Basketball Junkie; and a public speaker with the American Program Bureau.

 

BILL REYNOLDS is a sports columnist for The Providence Journal and the author of several previous books, including Fall River Dreams and (with Rick Pitino) the #1 New York Times bestseller Success Is a Choice. He lives in Providence, Rhode Island.