A Fall River, Massachusetts native, and subject of an ESPN 30 for 30, Emmy-nominated documentary entitled “Unguarded,” Chris now tours the country talking to schools and groups about an addiction that cost him not just a promising career, but nearly his life.  

At Montour, the presentation marked the reopening of the school’s athletic facility following a yearlong renovation project. The center now sports a waveless pool and new, 1,600-seat basketball court surrounded by a rubberized indoor track. Thirteen trophy cases were installed to show off the school’s athletic achievements, along with an interactive touch screen that lets users peruse a digitized version of Montour’s hall of fame. A mirrored cardio room packed with equipment overlooks the court, and downstairs, students will be able to practice their golf swing on a new golf simulator. LED screens installed around the basketball floor, which can be repurposed into a volleyball court, are capable of playing video, but are also being used to generate advertising revenue.  

The project marks Montour Superintendent Dr. Donald E. Boyer’s 29^th in the state of Pennsylvania, and his second at Montour.   

Before Chris spoke, students took advantage of another of the center’s amenities by watching an edited version of the “Unguarded” documentary on the center’s new, theater-quality projection system. They also honored the men’s basketball team for handing head coach Adam Kaufman his second WPIAL AAA title in three years, and for making their third consecutive appearance in the PIAA semi-finals.  

Students then listened to an intense, unapologetic presentation about how even the best athletes can be prone to drug addiction and poor self esteem, and how in many ways the spotlight, winning, and raw talent can hide or even facilitate a substance abuse problem.   

“In 1994 I walked into a room like this and said, ‘my daddy’s a politician, I’m ranked ninth in the United States in basketball, I’m not going to listen to this’,” Chris said. “It took me until 2008 before I finally got another chance.”  

Once a highly touted recruit for Boston College profiled by Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone, Chris was drafted in the second round of the 1999 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. Two failed drugs tests had gotten him expelled from Boston College, but redeeming performances at Fresno State, some of which he put on while under the influence, helped make him a prospective first round draft pick. While a third failed drug test pushed him to the second round, Chris remained sober under the watchful eye of Denver team management, and excelled during his rookie season.  

The following season, he was traded to his hometown team, the Boston Celtics. It was a team he’d grown up idolizing, but one that also played mere miles from where he knew he could get drugs.  

By that time, Chris had also developed an addiction to the powerful new painkiller OxyCotin. Initially sold and marketed in 1996 as having minimal risk of addiction, OxyCotin’s maker, Purdue Pharma, later paid $600 million in 2007 to settle lawsuits claiming the company had grossly understated its addictiveness. Three of the company’s top executives were charged with felonies, even as sales of the drug climbed to $2.5 billion.  

“I had no idea that one little yellow pill would turn into seven felonies, four overdoses, and a million dollars on the street,” Chris said.   

That addiction, he said, began as a teen, with smoking weed and drinking at parties.  

“All I do is drink and smoke,” he repeated time and again throughout the assembly, echoing the sentiment that kept him from listening to messages about harder drugs when he was younger.  

That early behavior he says was motivated by poor self-esteem, a problem he said he didn’t realize he had until a year of he’d gotten sober, lost everything he’d made as a professional athlete, and gone from earning $50,000 a month in cash to repossessing cars.  

The plain-faced honesty of Chris’ message contrasted with the sensationalism and scare tactics of the anti-drug public service announcements of yesteryear - to analogies like the fried egg. Recent research suggests that anti-drug messages like these have not only been blunted by their own tactics, but might have even created an allure for some thrill-seeking teens. In recent years, The Office of National Drug Policy has adjusted its anti-drug message with its “Above the Influence” campaign, with PSA’s that depict the positive aspects of a drug-free lifestyle, which can be reinforced by athletics. 

Chris’ own blunt message at times had students dropping their heads at the mention of uncomfortable issues, including bullying, peer pressure, and cutting. By the end, though, some were also finding the courage to stand up to share their own stories. During a question and answer session, one student spoke about early experiences with alcohol, while another shared personal details about a complicated relationship with a parent with a substance abuse problem. 

Afterwards, says Montour’s Assistant to the Superintendent, Jason Burik, Twitter was buzzing with students talking about a new perspective on drug use.  

“Chris has an incredible ability to connect with audiences and tell his compelling story,” he says. “Obviously, he was a very talented basketball player, but I believe his true purpose in life is to teach kids about the dangers of drugs.” 

Jason says he contacted Chris after seeing the documentary about him on ESPN, which shows the former player talking to a number of groups, including students, athletes, military personnel, and others.  

Leading up to the assembly, the Marketing and Advertising Montour Association, led by instructor April Fisher, in conjunction with the Future Business Leaders of America, held a fundraiser for a subsection of Chris’ nonprofit, Project Purple. Students raised $1,000 by selling a t-shirt they designed using the Montour and Project Purple logos. It was one of a number of causes MAMA helped support this year. For a complete list, see page 14.  

The night before the assembly, residents were also invited to hear Chris speak for themselves. A little over a month later on May 4, the school invited the community back for the center’s grand opening, where residents were allowed to take full advantage of all the new amenities. Following a barbecue and basketball game between students and faculty, members of the Pittsburgh Steelers showed up to take on the men’s basketball team. Montour won, 76 to 71. 

Jason says the school is hoping to attract the University of Pittsburgh’s pro am summer league, though nothing is settled yet. He also says the school is hoping to open up the facility regularly to the public, possibly sometime next year.  

Director of Curriculum and Development Dr. Chris Stone says that the school is planning to encourage students to stay active and take advantage of the center by taking a less traditional approach to physical education; by ditching the dodge ball sessions for an open setting that allows students to pursue their interests. In some cases, students can even pursue skills that can be used outside of school, such as qualifying for a lifeguard certificate. For some, it could be the vehicle that helps develop healthy lifestyles and learn intangibles from leadership to self-esteem that let them feel fulfilled without the use of drugs. 

For more on Chris Herren’s nonprofit, please visit: www.projectpurple.com.