Chris Herren

Chris Herren

Keynote Speaker: Former NBA Player & Speaker on Substance Abuse Disorder and Wellness; Founder Herren Wellness & Herren Project

Chris Herren Biography

Chris Herren, a former professional basketball player, has built a community around substance use prevention and recovery. He has shown that even the best can falter, and even the most desperate can rise. An author, motivational speaker and wellness advocate, Chris has founded three organizations that provide programs and services with the goal of overcoming setbacks and navigating life’s challenges.

Herren Wellness is a residential substance use, health and wellness organization for men and women based in Massachusetts. Through the process of self-discovery, we guide guests to uncover why they turn to unhealthy behaviors or substances and provide them the tools they need to live a healthy, whole, authentic and substance-free life. Our unique approach to recovery combines holistic strategies with medical and clinical support for the continuity of care for substance use disorder and mental wellness at any stage.

Herren Project is a national nonprofit organization providing free resources and support for the treatment, recovery and prevention of substance use disorder. Treatment and recovery services include treatment placement assistance, long-term recovery support for individuals and families, online support groups, as well as scholarships for treatment programs, recovery housing and recovery coaching.

Herren Talks: since 2009, Chris has spoken to over one million students, athletes and community members, sparking honest discussions on the topics of substance use disorder and wellness. As a person in long term recovery, Chris continues to share his story nationally with a renewed focus on prevention education and challenging audiences to rethink how we look at the disease of addiction; changing the focus from the last day to the first. In 2019, he released The First Day, a film addressing issues that school systems, communities and people across the country are impacted by, directly or indirectly, including substance use and mental wellness.

Herren Project’s prevention and wellness initiatives provide schools and communities resources to prevent the misuse of drugs and alcohol. Herren Project Clubs and Wellness Week promote healthy choices, bringing positive awareness to the disease of addiction and empower individuals to cope with life’s challenges substance-free.

An extraordinary basketball player, Chris Herren was a celebrated star in his native Fall River, MA before graduating high school. He went on to play at Boston College and Fresno State, two seasons in the NBA – including one with his hometown team, the Boston Celtics – and seven seasons overseas before losing it all to the disease of addiction.

With the unwavering support of his family and friends, Chris has been sober since August 1, 2008, and he now shares his story with the goal of making a positive difference in the lives of others.

His recovery journey has been documented in the bestselling memoir, “Basketball Junkie,” the Emmy-nominated ESPN Films documentary, “Unguarded” and in countless local, national and international stories by The New York Times, The Boston Globe and Sports Illustrated, among others. Through Herren Talks, Chris has spoken to over 1 million students and community members, sparking honest discussions about substance use disorder and wellness.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Chris Herren and other top speakers and celebrities.

Chris Herren Speaking Topics

Substance abuse and recovery

Motivational

Rebound: The Chris Herren Story

In this very personal presentation, Chris will share his story in a brutally honest format with just a microphone. The event will start with a five-minute DVD introducing Chris Herren and showing highlights of his basketball career and his dream to play in the NBA, which began to unravel as a result of making a few bad decisions. From growing up in Fall River, MA to playing Division 1 basketball and in the NBA, he will take the audience on his journey from addiction to sobriety. Additionally, he will relate his story to the audience addressing themes of gateway drugs, prescription drug abuse, drinking and driving as well as self-harm. To conclude the event, Chris will field questions from the audience.

Unguarded: A Conversation with Chris Herren

This program format has been designed for school assemblies and community groups, with the focus of relating Chris’s story to school-aged audiences nationwide. Following a DVD highlighting Chris’s basketball career and journey to sobriety, Chris will touch on such topics as drunk driving, gateway drugs, peer pressure, bullying and cutting. Additionally Chris will share statistics of drug and alcohol use amongst teens nationwide. To conclude the event, Chris will field questions from the audience.

Chris Herren Videos

Lessons learned on and off the court with Chris Herren
Against All Hope: Chris Herren on Addiction, Sobriety & Redemption
Former NBA star Chris Herren celebrates 15 years of sobriety

How do I book Chris Herren to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Chris Herren for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Chris Herren, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Chris Herren or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Chris Herren for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Chris Herren, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Chris Herren are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Chris Herren, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Chris Herren speak about?

Chris Herren is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Educational Motivational, Authors, College, Political, Human Resources, Teamwork & Teambuilding, Addiction & Recovery, Mental Health, Inspirational, Motivational, Government, Athlete, Business, Education, Literary, Sports, Men's Health, Health and Sports Coaching.

Where does Chris Herren travel from?

Chris Herren generally travels from Portsmouth, RI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Chris Herren?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Chris Herren for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Chris Herren for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Chris Herren or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Chris Herren is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Educational Motivational, Authors and College. The estimated speaking fee range to book Chris Herren for live events is $20,000 - $30,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Chris Herren generally travels from Portsmouth, RI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Tony Hoffman, Darryl Strawberry and Cris Carter. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Chris Herren for an upcoming event.

Speaker profile last updated by AAE Talent Team on 14/04/2025.

Chris Herren Speaking Topics

  • Substance abuse and recovery

  • Motivational

  • Rebound: The Chris Herren Story

    In this very personal presentation, Chris will share his story in a brutally honest format with just a microphone. The event will start with a five-minute DVD introducing Chris Herren and showing highlights of his basketball career and his dream to play in the NBA, which began to unravel as a result of making a few bad decisions. From growing up in Fall River, MA to playing Division 1 basketball and in the NBA, he will take the audience on his journey from addiction to sobriety. Additionally, he will relate his story to the audience addressing themes of gateway drugs, prescription drug abuse, drinking and driving as well as self-harm. To conclude the event, Chris will field questions from the audience.

  • Unguarded: A Conversation with Chris Herren

    This program format has been designed for school assemblies and community groups, with the focus of relating Chris’s story to school-aged audiences nationwide. Following a DVD highlighting Chris’s basketball career and journey to sobriety, Chris will touch on such topics as drunk driving, gateway drugs, peer pressure, bullying and cutting. Additionally Chris will share statistics of drug and alcohol use amongst teens nationwide. To conclude the event, Chris will field questions from the audience.

Chris Herren Videos

Lessons learned on and off the court with Chris Herren
Against All Hope: Chris Herren on Addiction, Sobriety & Redemption
Former NBA star Chris Herren celebrates 15 years of sobriety
The Real Shawshank Redemption – an Interview with Chris Herren

Chris Herren Reviews

  • The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama - Feb 14 2024

  • The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama - Feb 14 2024

  • The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama - Jan 31 2024

  • How do I book Chris Herren to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Chris Herren for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Chris Herren, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Chris Herren or any other speaker of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Chris Herren for a speaking engagement?

    Speaking fees for Chris Herren, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Chris Herren are $20,000 - $30,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Chris Herren, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Chris Herren speak about?

  • Where does Chris Herren travel from?

    Chris Herren generally travels from Portsmouth, RI, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
  • Who is the agent for Chris Herren?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Chris Herren for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Chris Herren for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Chris Herren or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
  • Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

    If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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