Former NBA All-Star Grant Hill is no stranger to pain, as he underwent 11 surgeries for a variety of injuries throughout his 19-year NBA career. While he was prescribed opioids to manage his postsurgical pain, Hill never liked the way he felt when he took them and was aware they could become addictive. When Hill realized he’d need to have his most recent surgery, he began researching and speaking with his doctors about alternative pain management options; that’s when he learned about available non-opioid medications. He recently spoke with ESPN’s The Undefeated to share his personal experience with opioids, his passion for educating the public about non-opioid options in postsurgical pain management, and his involvement with Shatterproof.

After several surgeries where Hill believed opioids were his only option, he was introduced to a long-acting local anesthetic that eliminated his need for postsurgical opioids. The alternative he was given was a numbing agent injected by his surgeon during the procedure that lasted a few days – the time when pain is often at its worst. His positive experience with this non-opioid option was a main driver behind his work with Choices Matter , a campaign designed to educate and empower surgery patients to proactively discuss postsurgical pain management, including non-opioid options, with their doctors.

Hill showed his support and passion for ending opioid overprescribing by joining Shatterproof at the November 2017 Rise Up Against Addiction 5K Walk/Run event in Atlanta. Hill has deep ties to Atlanta as he is a part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks NBA team. At the event, Hill appeared as a Choices Matter spokesperson to share his surgical experiences and encourage the crowd to advocate for their health by talking to their doctors about non-opioid options. Hill, who is also a member of Shatterproof’s Rise Up Against Addiction campaign, shared with ESPN’s The Undefeated how eye-opening it was to see people of all walks of life coming together to bring awareness and raise money to end the stigma of addiction. He expressed appreciation for having the opportunity to meet the Shatterproof community, as he engaged with hundreds of participants at the Choices Matter tent and at the 5K finish line.

To register for a 2018 Rise Up Against Addiction event near you, click here!