How Parents Can Stay Ahead of Substance Use in High School Basketball

When it comes to your child’s future—on the court and in the classroom—prevention will always be more powerful than reaction. As parents, we can’t wait for “rock bottom” before stepping in. We covered this head-on when I sat down with Chris Herren, former NBA player and founder of Herren Wellness, who has spent years speaking in schools across the country about prevention, wellness, and recovery. His message is clear: early, honest engagement with your kids can make all the difference.

The Reality of Teen Substance Use Today

Cory: Well, look, one thing I want to talk about today first is, you know, our big audience right here are parents of high school players and high school players, right? That’s our audience right here… What’s the trend you’re seeing our kids? Drinking and doing drugs more? About the same? Is it less with everything going on? What’s the zeitgeist right now around that?

Chris: I think it varies… Do I feel like it’s slowed down? I think it’s slowed down somewhat since I started doing this… I’ve also seen a shift in the harder drugs… Where five, six, eight years ago, I was walking into schools and meeting kids who were dependent on heroin and fentanyl… Unfortunately, other substances kind of find their way in.

Chris Herren proudly marks 15 years in recovery, inspiring others with his journey and commitment to wellness.

Avoiding the “Surrender Flag” Mentality

Cory: If you’re a family and you’ve got a member of your family addicted… When do you know to let someone go to rock bottom or when do you enable them?

Chris: Enabling is not cookie cutter… With my father, it’s always about supporting recovery and not supporting addiction… I’ve seen parents who completely unplug… and kids die. And I’ve seen parents stay very close and connected… and they pass away too. Most moms and dads… if they had an opportunity, they would do it differently. They wouldn’t be as… They would stay on top of it a little more and not kind of wave the surrender flag and say, okay, you’re a kid, go out and do what kids do. I don’t think kids at 15, 16 years old need to start experimenting with drugs or getting drunk on Fridays and Saturday nights.

The Most Important Question Parents Forget to Ask

Chris Herren engages in an intimate conversation with attendees, sharing prevention insights and recovery strategies.

Cory: What’s your prescription to parents? You’ve got 15, 16, 14-year-olds. To prevent this from happening, what’s your advice?

Chris: I’ve never told my kids not to go out… I just, if they decide to drink or to use, I want to understand why as a parent… When your 15-year-old son comes home drunk… parents never ask why. Understand why your kid has to put that substance in his body to spend three hours on a Friday with kids he’s known since he was four years old. There’s an answer there.

Chris Herren connects personally with a participant to discuss recovery pathways and wellness routines.

Building Emotional and Social Strength

Chris: We challenge our children in classrooms, we challenge them athletically… I don’t know how many parents out there really dive in socially and emotionally to make sure their kid is a star on Friday night in a basement… I wish somebody grabbed me when I was 16 years old and said… let’s work on some other parts of your life. Let’s dive into some other areas… I want to challenge you socially. I want to get to know you emotionally. I want to know what’s going on in your home…

Start Prevention Early—Much Earlier

Chris Herren, dressed in academic regalia, attends a graduation event, highlighting his commitment to education and personal growth.

Cory: What age would you ideally start this?

Chris: Junior high all day long… Especially now in today’s culture with vaping, with marijuana… Kids think it’s candy. I’m walking into some schools and sixth, seventh graders are getting caught in the bathroom with their vape pens… I think we can empower them at a younger age and give them the skill set, the tools to cope with that as they grow.

Conclusion: Keep the Ball in Your Court as a Parent

I’ve seen too many families wait until a problem has already taken root before acting. Chris’s message is a reminder that as parents, we have to be present, ask the right questions, and start early. This isn’t just about keeping your child sober—it’s about building them up to handle pressure, both on and off the court.

If you’re looking into prep school, reach out to us at PREP Athletics. We’re here to help you explore your potential and make choices that align with your athletic and academic future. We’ve also got a long list of resources to get you started in the right direction, so check out our latest prep basketball updates on YouTube or our podcast to dive deeper.