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Basketball Junkie

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I was dead for thirty seconds.

That's what the cop in Fall River told me.



When the EMTs found me, there was a needle in my arm and a packet of heroin in the front seat.



At basketball-crazy Durfee High School in Fall River, Massachusetts, junior guard Chris Herren carried his family's and the city's dreams on his skinny frame. His grandfather, father, and older brother had created their own sports legends in a declining city; he was the last, best hope for a career beyond the shuttered mills and factories. Herren was heavily recruited by major universities, chosen as a McDonald's All-American, featured in a Sports Illustrated cover story, and at just seventeen years old became the central figure in Fall River Dreams, an acclaimed book about the 1994 Durfee team's quest for the state championship.

Leaving Fall River for college, Herren starred on Jerry Tarkanian's Fresno State Bulldogs team of talented misfits, which included future NBA players as well as future convicted felons. His gritty, tattooed, hip-hop persona drew the ire of rival fans and more national attention: Rolling Stone profiled him, 60 Minutes interviewed him, and the Denver Nuggets drafted him. When the Boston Celtics acquired his contract, he lived the dream of every Massachusetts kid—but off the court Herren was secretly crumbling, as his alcohol and drug use escalated and his life spiraled out of control.

Twenty years later, Chris Herren was married to his high-school sweetheart, the father of three young children, and a heroin junkie. His basketball career was over, consumed by addictions; he had no job, no skills, and was a sadly familiar figure to those in Fall River who remembered him as a boy, now prowling the streets he once ruled, looking for a fix. One day, for a time he cannot remember, he would die.

In his own words, Chris Herren tells how he nearly lost everything and everyone he loved, and how he found a way back to life. Powerful, honest, and dramatic, Basketball Junkie is a remarkable memoir, harrowing in its descent, and heartening in its return.

288 pages, Hardcover

First published April 28, 2011

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964 people want to read

About the author

Chris Herren

5 books8 followers
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.

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272 (17%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews
Profile Image for Frederic.
94 reviews7 followers
April 29, 2016
Totally honest and vulnerable, Chris Herren is taking us to his hell and back. It is a memoir of struggle, addiction but he is also showing an amazing strength. It is an inspiring read that leaves us with foods for thoughts, I really loved it!!!!
Profile Image for Katie.
182 reviews5 followers
May 18, 2011
I received this book through Goodreads First Reads and was excited to be able to read it.

That feeling, however, was short lived.

The underlying theme and purpose of the book had a ton of potential. Chris Herren goes through his professional basketball career as an absolute junkie, to the detriment of his family and his coaches. The book explains the timelines of events from when he started doping and drinking to when he finally decided to put his family first.

First of all, let me say, I am extremely proud of Chris for finally realizing his problem and doing something about it. I hope, for his sake and his familys' sake that he is still living life sober and telling others what he went through. That being said, the book is forgettable on a couple of levels.

Basically this was a timeline of events and occurances. There was no dialogue, no mention of what he was going through inside of his head during his lowest points--only that he was detoxing and sweating and crying...it was just surface facts of what he went through. There were few quotes from coaches or family, but no conversations. The author speaks about his wife and how she was strong, but doesn't offer much else to the relationship between the two of them. Why did she stay? How did she try to help? I can understand that being a junkie/druggie, you push everyone important to you away. I get that...but there has to be more to this story and more about the addiction and absolutely more about the process of recovery. There needs to be more to capture and motivate. The book doesn't delve into the depths of what he had to go through in rehab or with his family. Being an outsider isn't enough.

I understand the several grammatical errors, since this was an uncorrected version and the sentence structure/paragraph structure left something to be desired. I would honestly love to read the finished product to see how it changes. I know it has the ability to be a great memoir that can teach people about coping with recovery if the author would open up. After all, he obviously wants the story out there for the world to see. Make it real...make it honest. I know there was more to the experience of the whole thing than this.
2 reviews1 follower
March 12, 2019
I have really enjoyed reading Basketball Junkie. Not being a huge reader, often times it is hard for me to find books that I actually enjoy. I’m glad that I found this book because it kept me interested at all times. I had a hard time putting the book down and always wanted to read just a little bit more.
Watching Chris Herren change and grow as he grew up and went so far with his hopes and dreams was really interesting to read about and then to watch it all come tumbling down and then Chris would build himself back up just to come tumbling down again was an interesting insight into being a generally “functioning” addict/junkie.
I think that a reader that may be interested in this book would be interested in sports for sure. I think that any high school athlete should read this book because it stresses the importance of not experimenting with drugs because of the roads it may take you down.
Other reviewers noted Chris Herren’s immense vulnerability and honesty throughout the entire book. I absolutely agree with that. Chris Herren went through so much throughout his life with no one able to stop him and help get his life together. Everyone just watched him ruin his life. Another reviewer wished he had gone deeper into the descriptions of his lowest points and talked about what exactly was going on inside his head rather than always his outside feelings like him crying and sweating. Others also note how a 17 year olds dreams faded to nightmares as he watched his dreams crumble right in front of him which perfectly characterizes the book. Another reviewer said that every high school coach should have their athletes read this book.
From my updates, someone who may not have read the book yet would be able to tell that Basketball Junkie is a biography of Chris Herren who was a high school basketball star that experimented with drugs and became a full on junkie while still trying to make a name for himself in basketball. Someone would also be able to visualize what is going on in the book.
This book has a lot of strengths, it truly captures a struggling addict go through life. The character development of Chris was great. I wish that there was more development for his loved ones in his life, like his wife, heather, his kids, coaches, long time friends.
I gave this book 4 stars because I wish it was a little bit more in-depth and not as quick moving.
Profile Image for Jennifer Sakash.
1,174 reviews29 followers
February 1, 2023
I don't usually read or enjoy memoirs, but Chris Herren came to speak at my kids' high school, as one drug/alcohol event option students were required to attend before being allowed to go to the prom. I did not know anything about him before then, but he was an excellent speaker on this important topic. I was so impressed by his life that I watched the TV movie about him, "Unguarded", and wanted to read this book too. I'm not that much older than him, and being from southern NH also grew up during the Celtics heyday with Bird, Ainge, and McHale.

His story is an incredible example of going to hell and back, wasting a sports talent playing at an elite level, a life almost ruined by and was close to being lost to drugs. It's truly a miracle he's still alive, and that his family stayed with him. I'm glad he found a purpose for his life in sharing his story, hoping he can helps others stay out of what he went through (and will continue to go through for the rest of his life).

His talk made an impression on the kids: my son said he had a different way of talking to you, being able to relate to you personally instead of just saying the usual "drugs are bad - don't do them". That he speaks from the heart about the effect addiction has had on the people who love him, rather than preaching just about why drugs are bad.
Profile Image for Tyler Chisholm.
6 reviews
March 2, 2023
This book carried a very meaningful message. As a basketball player myself, I have felt the pressure Chris felt before games. I really like how after he got clean, he went to schools all across the United States and talked to students about substance abuse. I would recommend this book to anyone fighting substance abuse or anyone who may need some motivation in their life.
Profile Image for Mary.
430 reviews1 follower
August 4, 2012
A honest story of addiction and all the terror it inflicts.

Chris Herren:
"No one sets out to be an addict. No one sets out to ruin their life and the lives of all the people around them. No one sets out to see the anguish in the eyes of the people who love them. No one sets out to live the life I led. It happens over time, sure. but it also happens when you don't address your issues.......

I also tell them (kids) I was never the most fucked up kid in my circle of friends in high school, never the one that drank the most, or did the most drugs. That there always kids worse off then me. I tell them that nobody would have predicted what was going to happen to me back then, the hell I would live in, the price I would pay for my addiction. I tell them that addiction is a sneaky thing, that it happens over time, until  one day you wake up and you are your addiction. It owns you, not the other way around. I tell them that's what happens when you don't deal with your issues.

Thats why meetings are so important. You have to hear people's stories over and over, get a daily reminder that you're not alone, not the only one going through this. People have to believe they can get out of their mess.

I'm not saying I'm cured or that I know all the answers. But I thank God for ability to stay sober, and to be around people who are sober. I know what works for me: go to meetings. Let the past go, because to dwell on it only brings regret and guilt. Don't think about the future , because that brings fear. I just stay where I'm supposed to be. I know if I stay in the moment and take care of my business, I have a chance."
Profile Image for Marsha.
45 reviews8 followers
May 10, 2013
Have you ever wondered what happens to people after reading a biography? Fall River Dreams is the story of year in the life of 17 year old Chris Herren. Basketball Junkie is the answer to what happened to him after Fall River and it is much more nightmare than dream. Amazingly talented as a basketball player Chris becomes drug addicted and blows his career with drugs and alcohol. But this is a story of redemption and survival. Which is also the story of Fall River, his hometown, and another character and player in the story. Told with unflinching truth and insight, this well written book is well worth your time and should be on every high school coaches shelf as a cautionary tale to their athletes.
5 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2014
I enjoyed this book on Chris Herren. I watched the documentary on it and they were both very similar. I liked this book because it was about a basketball player that gets addicted to many different drugs and goes through many different expiercences and he comes close to dying many different times but in the end he chose his family over drugs and basketball and now tries to help kids that went through the same thinf that he went through.
Profile Image for Edward.
1,368 reviews11 followers
May 31, 2011
I am not quite so savage about this book as Barry was, but my concern for Chris Herren is that his recovery has been less than three years and that is not a long time for one so addicted as he was. We can only hope for his sake and that of his family, he can maintain his recovery. I did enjoy the descriptions of Fall River and since I love basketball, his journey was interesting.
Profile Image for Danielle King.
11 reviews31 followers
March 19, 2013
I love books involving sports, and Chris Herren's memoir was no exception. Through his book, he brings readers along his rough journey of basketball and drug addiction, from high school all the way up to the NBA. I couldn't put this book down and finished it in two days- thanks to my friend, Jackie, for recommending it to me!
1 review1 follower
October 23, 2019
In Basketball Junkie, Chris Herren shows determination to communicate a central theme that when a person wants to change, then you must use ambition to become what you believe you can be.

In Basketball Junkie, Chris Herren becomes the ultimate role model and hero to younger kids after going through one of the hardest possible things in life. Ever since he was a teen, he was a celebrity in Fall River, Massachusetts. He was a basketball idol. Before he knew it, he held the world in his hands. All of his hard work led to opportunities being thrown his way, until one horrific decision changed his life. Chris Herren discovered cocaine one night at a party. "Then I found cocaine. Or maybe it found me." "I couldn't stop...I didn't care" (90). This indicates that he had no structure. That he had absolutely no drive or motivation to do anything. It shows he didn't care about his career and he had absolutely no discipline. It is extraordinary to see how he developed through out the course of the book. A few years later after having to transfer colleges to being kicked out of the NBA, and even starting a family, he finally believed enough in himself to change. "I've been to hell and back. I lived the life most people, a lot of people, don't get a chance to come out of, straight up. By the grace of Go and the help from a plethora of people, I was able to come out of this" (252). Having ambition and discipline leads to a path of success. That is exactly what Herren needed to overcome his battle with addiction. When he said "I lived the life most people...don't get a chance to come out of.." he explains that it took ambition and the want to change, to actually do it, because many people don't have the willpower to. He used his ambition to become the person he knew he always could be.
Profile Image for Diane Luzar.
464 reviews6 followers
August 18, 2019
A stunning story of victory over addiction!! Any parent who has any child getting serious about any sport should read this. Kids are under so much pressure to win that sometimes they find misdirected outlets to achieve, namely drugs/alcohol. This is a remarkable story of a kid that grew up in Fall River, RI, became an NBA player that hit the highs and the very, very lows. His life was being destroyed by any opiates he could get his hands on. Chris hit bottom so many times, thinking this is it. I’m stopping all this, until he took the next drug or beer and it would start all over again. He talks about how much he hurt his family, parents, wife, children. I won’t go into specifics. That’s something the reader needs to see for themselves what happens. Chris was hiding his addiction as best he could, until he couldn’t anymore. He had all the signs but he was always given the benefit of the doubt. Chris finally got help and now he works with kids to get them healthy again. Travels the country talking to school kids, etc. and has opened a clinic in MA. He is owed so much respect now to see he is doing something awesome with his life.
Profile Image for Joe Rodeck.
894 reviews1 follower
October 15, 2017
A downer.

This is the least of the downward spiral stories I've read. Chris Merrin's ghost writer did not serve him well. Too many WTF's for example. One minute he's at Boston College; then, with no segue, he's at Fresno State.

I'd like a better first hand account on things such as the pressures on a home town sports hero or what it's like to guard an NBA superstar. But it's just a topical I started with booze, then acid, then coke, then oxycontin . . . with little introspection. He speaks of a few coaches and his wife with some obligatory respect. But it's 99% bitterness.

The good: There's a cursory summary of alternative basketball leagues for the NBA not-makes.

Middle school reading level.

Profile Image for John Hannam.
48 reviews7 followers
February 1, 2020
This is Chris Herren's journey through his decade of drug/alcohol addition. He chronicles his rise to fame as a young basketball player in high school to being selected in the NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. As his life progress his addiction becomes worse until he reaches that point of no return and finds a way to navigate his life forward in a positive direction.

In addition to the topic of addiction and recovery this book also provides some subtle insight into the change in children's athletics. The pressure parents and coaches places on kids at a young age to perform to a high standard has detrimental effects. There is minimal focus on growth and overall team development.

A good read for a parent, coach, or anyone going through a challenging time.
Profile Image for Josh Makarenko.
5 reviews
September 18, 2017
Raw and real and a crazy story. In all honest I appreciate the fact that he shared it and the work he's doing today to help others is inspiring!

Poorly written book though, and extremely hard to follow. He jumps around from place to place and you alomst feel dizzy trying to keep up. I think it could have been done amazingly well had the story been brought together with a bit more clarity. I guess that's the nature of the story and background of the addict and his life.

Still worth a read, just don't get caught up in the details, go for the bigger picture... and it's a quick read.
Profile Image for Lindsay.
43 reviews7 followers
January 4, 2018
Simply put: It was an easy read. I was fascinated with the numerous struggles Herren faced, the number of second chances he was given and finally his victory after it all. With with that said, it really is not my kind of writing style. It was simply worded and I found it to be quite repetitive-not the plot, just the actual sentences. I do also wish there was just a tad bit more emotion or insight into his deepest thoughts. The book almost felt more factual than emotional and I guess I was hoping for the latter.
39 reviews
October 5, 2018
The book was a bit scattered didn't have recurring metaphors. That being said, I read it in under 36 hours, and couldn't put it down until it was done. Herren's voice is so engaging and he makes you understand the pain he was going through. I already knew his story, but I was still torn up by the downward spiral of his life. His story is so uplifting and motivational.
2 reviews1 follower
May 10, 2019
When Chris says “ I was dead for 30 seconds”, this makes me feel that he felt dead becaus99 at one point in his life he didn’t have to worry about getting caught doing drugs or anything bad. But he wakes back up to reality and figures out that he can’t run away from his problems and has to face them head-on.
11 reviews
June 5, 2019
I liked the book a lot. It really showed the struggle of drug addiction even when you "have it all". I was really impacted by how he talked about his drug use even when his children were around. Although the fact that he took drugs isn't the story that's being told it's about his recovery and how Chris Herren quit drugs and put his family first after realizing what it was doing to them.
2 reviews
May 23, 2018
This book was a very knowledgeable book that taught you the struggles of being an all-star and how it is being the best in the nation. The way the author shows how each person deals with things differently. This book is a very good book about the life of basketball.
1 review
August 6, 2019
Very inspiring. I wish more students would read the book and get the message Chris is trying to understand what all is involved. Great book. Thank you Chris for sharing your life with us. God knew what he had in store for you. God bless you and your family.
Profile Image for Tim Schannauer.
214 reviews
November 11, 2020
After watching the documentary and seeing Chris speak I was excited to read the book. It didn’t let me down it was really well written about his point of view with his battle through addiction and still doing so much in life. Helps put addiction into perspective and is a Really great read.
Profile Image for Joyce.
1,202 reviews7 followers
December 27, 2023
Fascinating story and there is an excellent ESPN documentary that covers the same territory in Chris Herren's life. The story is fascinating but as is the case with most addiction stories, most of the book is spent talking about the addiction and only a little bit about the recovery.
Profile Image for Kevin Stanhope.
134 reviews1 follower
April 22, 2024
"If Mike Wallace had come out with me in New York back then, that clock on 60 Minutes would never have stopped ticking."

Really fascinating read. Bonus for being about a Massachusetts kid who went on to play for the Celtics.
Profile Image for Pete Oudsema.
19 reviews
October 11, 2017
If you like sports stories, this book is for you. If you like redemption stories, this book is for you.
Profile Image for Lisa Clarke.
555 reviews9 followers
April 29, 2019
Audiobook: A completely honest view of the terrible world of addiction. Close to our hearts and our world in Portsmouth. Admiring Chris and his strength.
42 reviews
October 23, 2019
This book was really well written and is a touching story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 142 reviews

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