MATTAPOISETT — Former Celtics player Chris Herren recently spoke to students at Old Rochester Regional High School about how his illustrious basketball career was derailed by the disease of addiction and his subsequent journey to sobriety.
Herren, a Fall River native and former NBA point guard, played for the Denver Nuggets before joining the Boston Celtics for the 2000–01 season, appearing in 25 games for Boston.
According to Old Rochester Regional School District Superintendent Michael Nelson, on Monday, April 13, 2026, Herren presented his film, “The First Day,” during a 75-minute assembly in the Old Rochester Regional High School auditorium. The film details Herren’s rise to basketball stardom and then his pursuit of a substance-free life. After the screening, Superintendent Nelson said Herren discussed how experiences from his adolescence shaped his later struggles with substance use disorder.
“He encouraged listeners to rethink how they view the scourge of addiction,” Superintendent Nelson said in a statement.
Herren, who founded the nonprofit Herren Project in 2011, also addressed drinking, marijuana use, vaping, pill use, peer pressure, bullying and self-harm. He then answered questions from students in the audience.
“Chris Herren’s story is powerful, real, and incredibly relevant for today’s students,” Old Rochester Regional High School Principal Michael Devoll said. “We are grateful for the opportunity to bring his message to our school and to partner with our community in helping students make informed, healthy decisions.”
The event was funded by the office of the Public Health Nurse for the Town of Rochester.
“We were happy to host this presentation on such an important topic,” Superintendent Nelson said. “As part of our role educating our young people, we want to make sure our students are empowered to make healthy decisions and to avoid choices that threaten their wellbeing.”
