Former NBA player Willie Cauley-Stein has opened up about his struggle with substance abuse, shedding light on a dark chapter of his life that nearly cost him everything.
The 7-foot center, known for his time with the Sacramento Kings and Dallas Mavericks, recently disclosed that he spent 65 days in a rehabilitation center, believing he was addicted to bootleg Percocet. However, the reality was far more dangerous: the pills he was consuming were laced with fentanyl, a potent synthetic opioid.
Cauley-Stein’s journey into addiction began as he sought relief from physical and emotional pain. He turned to what he thought were Percocet pills, a combination of oxycodone and acetaminophen. Unbeknownst to him, these pills were counterfeit and contained fentanyl, a substance 50 times more potent than heroin and 100 times more potent than morphine. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) warns that just one pill can be lethal.
Realizing he needed help, Cauley-Stein checked himself into a rehabilitation center. It was there that he discovered the true nature of his addiction.
Per The Athletic:
“I looked at my wife and said, ‘Oh, my God,'” he recounted. “I hear stories all the time about kids going to a party, never taking a drug before, deciding to pop a Percocet, and it ends up being fentanyl, and they die. From one pill. Dude, I was taking hundreds of them, for months and years. It could’ve so easily been me”.
Cauley-Stein’s time in rehab was transformative. He not only overcame his addiction but also gained a new perspective on life.
“I could easily be dead,” he admitted. “So that joy you saw from me in the TBT is different because I know the bullet I really dodged. I asked for help before it was too late, and I got better.”
Cauley-Stein’s story is a stark reminder of the dangers of counterfeit drugs. The DEA reports that six out of ten fentanyl-laced fake prescription pills contain a potentially lethal dose. His experience underscores the importance of seeking help and the life-saving impact of rehabilitation.
