He bought OxyContin while playing for the Celtics

Chris Herren grew up around drinking and was addicted to cocaine by eighteen. Basketball gave him structure and a lot of pressure, and it carried him through college and into the NBA with the addiction growing the whole way.

He tells me what it was like buying OxyContin while he was playing for the Boston Celtics, the day his own dealer refused to sell to him, and the overdose at a Dunkin' Donuts. He also explains why he believes his addiction started long before the drugs.

Now he is a husband and a present father. We talk about rebuilding trust with his wife, hard conversations with his kids, why long-term recovery still takes work, and why helping other people became part of staying well.