Stephen A. Smith opened up about his own struggles with addiction while reflecting on the tragic passing of actor Matthew Perry. Chandler Bing of the hit sitcom “Friends”, tragically passed away at the age of 54. The news of his death sent shockwaves among fans worldwide. Perry had a long-standing battle with addiction, which he openly discussed in various interviews.

In a heartfelt tribute to Perry, Smith drew parallels between his own experiences with addiction and those of Perry. 

Stephen A. Smith recalls struggling with addiction 

He recalled an interview Perry did with Diane Sawyer where Perry admitted to taking 55 doses of Vicodin in a single day. Smith shared his own experience with Vicodin, describing the feeling of ease and comfort it brought him after knee surgery.

The thought of having to stop taking the medication had him confess, “I had to get off of that and I almost cried”.

Smith emphasized that while he does not condone or excuse addiction. He believes its essential to show compassion and understanding toward those struggling with it. “I am just talking about a level of compassion and understanding for the Mathew Parrys in the world and others. All I can say is that my heart goes out to him and his loved ones in his family,” Smith added. 

Smith’s revelation about his encounter with Vicodin sheds light on the complexities of addiction that are alluring.

Drug addiction is a prevalent issue in the NBA

Addiction affects individuals from all walks of life and there are athletes in the NBA whose career got consumed with substance abuse. It has been said about four-time NBA All-Star David Thomsposn that if he had any career longer, his name would be taken in the same breath as Michael Jordan‘s.

In his own words, he acknowledged the drug abuse and said, “I had the ability to be one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the game and I blew it.” 2× NBA champion Lamar Odom struggled with substance abuse. ‘Drugs’ were his girlfriend, as he said, while he was married to Khloé Kardashian. 

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Despite the NBA’s efforts, drug addiction remains a problem among the players. Smith’s words underscore the significance of empathy and support for those dealing with addiction. As the world mourns the loss of Chandler Bing. 

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