Posts Tagged chris washburn drug abuse

For people who are well versed in NBA history, specifically in the year 1986, Chris Washburn was NBA’s no. 3 draft pick courtesy of the Golden State Warriors. He had it all: the talent, the strength, the touch.

Portland Trailblazer’s coach Nate McMillan who was with Washburn in North Carolina State told Yahoo Sports , “some of the things that Shaquille [O’Neal] was doing, Washburn was doing as a forward-center who could run and jump and shoot. He could do it all. He had the talent to certainly be an All-Star.”

After the Warriors signed him on, Washburn was already hooked up with drugs. George Karl, who was then Chris’ coach, already sensed that he was in deep trouble, all because he can’t let go of the dope. Even the great Julius Erving, who extended a helping hand to Washburn, could not make any difference.

After three months into the game season, Chris checked in a rehabilitation facility in California. This did not help much, as he continued his drug use, and he was draining his bank account day by day for the drugs. He had a mansion, but he opted to stay with folks who barely have water and electricity and slept on dirty floors with no carpet, all because he could not leave his habit.  In June 1989, his NBA career ended. He failed a third time on his drug test and earned a lifetime ban in the NBA, just after 72 games in the league. In 1991-1994, Chris was going in and out of prison for drug-related case.

Washburn finally came out clean in 2000. He is now one of the speakers in the Dallas Life Foundation Center. When he speaks, the kids listen to him, and he now makes a positive impact on their lives. His message was clear: learn from what has happened in his life; he had the chance of becoming a great NBA player, but he wasted it because of drugs.