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Anderson is the guest of the US Embassy and he's here to give motivational speeches based on his life story, captured in his book "Stamina." His target audience is youths – and particularly the ones who've had the hardest time in the toughest social conditions – because that's his story too.

He found a receptive audience at the National Youth Cadet Corp in Rockville this morning. 7news was there:

Jules Vasquez Reporting

Today the young men at the Belize Youth Cadet Corp sat in rapt attention for 45 minutes as retired 10 year NBA veteran Derek Anderson gave them his hard won life lessons.

You could hear a pin drop as he spoke which is not the standard reaction:

Derek Anderson - NCAA, NBA Champion
"I'm glad you guys understand what I'm saying and I see that I got your attention. You understand this, life is about choices, ever decision I made - I made based on me and there were barely anybody in any situation that I was in."

William Swan - Manager - Belize Youth Cadet Core
"When they were talking to them they had all the interest and to have different young men to come together like this and really focus without any mischievous act or playing while he was giving his speech - I can see that he was getting into their minds."

After, Anderson signed autographs and mugged for photos.

He says it's a familiar setting for him:

Derek Anderson
"It's important because this is where I come from; I'm from a different country but the same situation. They went through the same thing I went through. Same - 'my sister gets stabbed by father's best friend', same 'my best friend gets shot right next to me', and same drug infested areas, same homelessness. I went through the same thing they went through but I refused to allow that situation to dictate my future. They see that I was a child at 14, 15 - they see that I was homeless; they see the broken homes and all that so they see in me what they see in themselves. Some of them will get it and some of them will get it later - as long as they get it, it's all that matters."

William Swan
"I know a lot of them, tonight or maybe next week down the line, will continue to think what they had taught them today and what he has been through."

After stopping to sip on a coconut water on the way down, Anderson's next stop was the Ballers for Life basketball camp - where he told them his story:

Derek Anderson
"I played 11 years in the NBA, I won a championship with the Miami Heat and I got plenty of money but all this came due to my character and my attitude. The only person that is stopping you from making a success that anything that you do, is yourself. Don't blame your parents, I never got to see my parents - they never came to one game, not to see me win any championships. I won two middle school championships, High School, Gold Olympics, College and Professional and NBA Championship - not once did they get to see me play. That doesn't bother me - this is my life, I get to choose my success and the path that I am on and it's all about my attitude and my character. Your character and your attitude go hand in hand with your future so don't look and blame your parents, don't look and blame your neighborhood, you only have yourself to blame if you don't find a life to live."

And after those inspiring words, Anderson shot some hoops with the summer campers - and the teenagers ended up out-shooting the former NBA star.

Anderson who said he doesn't like to lose was gracious to the winner signed some autographs - and told the youths he'll ste up his own summer camp with NBA players the next time he visits

Derek Anderson
"I had the same opportunity that you had, I had a basketball and a goal and a dream to accomplish something. Don't let someone steal your dreams, there are many dream killers out there - I had teammates who were dream killers and they said 'man you're not going to make it, you're too skinny, you're too this, you don't have any education - you're dumb, you're stupid, you don't look like them, you have dirty clothes on' - I had it all and now all of them are trying to be my friends. Don't let nobody steal your dreams, nobody can tell me what to do, the only people that I listen to are my school teachers, my guardians, people who have been through the path that I'm going on."

Anderson gave one last presentation at the Radisson this afternoon – and he flies out tomorrow