BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – A former NBA player paid a visit to Binghamton’s East Middle School to share the biggest challenges that he faced off the court.

Former Denver Nugget and Boston Celtic, Chris Herren gave a blunt presentation about his experience with drugs and alcohol.

He showed a brief documentary of his career, which highlights how he became addicted to painkillers and partying at a young age, despite maintaining his proficient skills on the basketball court.

Herren says that he used to be in the exact same position as the students; listening to some person come into his school and talk about drug abuse as if it could happen to him.

Former NBA Player Chris Herren says, “When it comes to middle school and high school kids I’ve kind of switched it up a little bit. I talk about the first day and not the worst day. I think when it comes to drug addiction, we drill into our children how bad it is in the end rather than understanding why they’re letting it begin.”

Herren has been drug and alcohol free since 2008.

Since then, he has spoken to over one million students nationwide, including professional sporting teams like the Red Sox, Yankees, and the military.

After his presentation to the students, Herren re-visited East Middle in the evening and invited the community to participate.