Bucks legend Marques Johnson partners with Serenity Inns in Milwaukee to help combat substance abuse

In 2002, Marques Johnson began his road to sobriety from drug and alcohol abuse with treatment and counseling, and earlier this month, he celebrated that anniversary in part by becoming a board member of Serenity Inns on Milwaukee's north side.

The treatment center addressing substance abuse disorder will open a new home in late July. Johnson will assist with Serenity’s capital fundraising campaign.

"As somebody who has gone through that whole nightmare myself years ago – when I was approached, I was honored actually to be a part of this,” Johnson said. “It means a lot to me."

Johnson is an analyst for the Bucks broadcasting team. He played in the NBA for 11 seasons, from 1977-‘90, including seven seasons in Milwaukee. Substance abuse was an issue in the later stages of his career.

"I went through some difficult challenges with substance abuse, especially back in the '90s after I retired, a lot of stuff happened,” said Johnson Tuesday night before Game 2 of the Bucks-Pacers series in the first round of the NBA playoffs.

“It is something that kind of got away from me. I was a functioning drug abuser, and alcohol abuser at the time. We've talked about the ‘crossing the invisible line’ and before you know, you're drinking and doing that stuff every single day just trying to cope.

"I got into the recovery process. It turned my life around. I like to say that God led me to recovery; recovery led me back to God.

"I started stringing together days and weeks and months and years (of sobriety), and then all of a sudden good things started happening in my life – and coming back here was one of those.

"It's been good what has happened to me – this job and all kinds of great things."

Johnson has worked actively with Bucks president Peter Feigin and the Bucks Foundation efforts.

He’s also working with author Charley Rosen and other athletes from his Los Angeles high school – like former baseball star Darryl Strawberry – who have also recovered from addictions.

“It's just something that needs to be done,” Johnson said. "When I was here as a player in the ‘70s and ‘80s, that's where I kind of wreaked a lot of havoc and just wasn't concerned about giving back to the community. I was really self-centered about me and wanted to be an actor and all this other stuff.

“And now this just gives me an opportunity to do what I didn't get a chance to do."

Serenity Inns provides housing to people who just went through detox

Sitting on the campaign fundraising committee, Johnson will assist Serenity Inns in finding funding for treatment services at both its older home and for construction of its new $3 million facility at 2830 W. Brown St.

Serenity Inns will be able to provide housing to more than 50 men a year who just recently went through drug detox, usually at Rogers Behavioral Health or First Step Community Recovery Center. Homes like Serenity Inns give former substance abusers a stable next step.

Research finds that recovery housing often leads to decreased substance use, reduced likelihood of return to use, lower rates of incarceration, higher income, increased employment and improved relationships.

Ken Ginlack, chief executive officer of Serenity Inns, said having Johnson on board is a "godsend" and a "big deal." The nonprofit has already raised over $1 million towards the new facility.

Ginlack met Johnson at group home for Milwaukee youth a couple years ago, where Johnson was doing motivational speaking. The two men shared a connection — they are both in recovery. Ginlack said it wasn't known to him that Johnson was in recovery and the two developed a mutual "understanding" of what substance abusers go through.

As Ginlack was reaching out to people to help fundraise for Serenity Inns, Johnson was one of the first calls he made. "He said he wanted to do something to help the community in Milwaukee," Ginlack said.

"Serenity Inns is a pretty small nonprofit," he added. "And just to have a name such as Marques Johnson associated with it is a huge, ... I wouldn't say sigh of relief, but it's huge. It's a big deal to have someone of that caliber kind of stand behind you and say I'm totally with you on saving lives in the community.

"What a perfect person to have speaking about, or advocating for men that are struggling with substance abuse disorder."

If you are struggling with substance abuse please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration at 1-800-662-4357.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks legend Marques Johnson partners with Serenity Inns in Milwaukee