Chris Herren had it all -- a blossoming NBA career with the Boston Celtics, a wife and kids. He also had a crippling heroin addiction that nearly took his life many times.

In June of 2008 Herren overdosed behind the wheel and woke up to a cop placing handcuffs on him, telling him he had been dead for 30 seconds.

Since that summer, Herren has been clean and sober and created the Herren Project, which fights substance abuse nationwide. He speaks to groups of all ages and background year round.

Herren spoke to all Wareham High School students on Monday morning about his life, the perils of drug use, and need for self-esteem and self-love.

“I wish when I was your age I didn’t need alcohol and drugs,” Herren said. “I wish I could go out on a Friday night and be comfortable with myself.”

Herren said he had his first beer at 13 and began using drugs as a teenager to forget about life and escape the pressures of basketball.

Herren attended Durfee High School in Fall River in the 1990s and was a McDonald’s All-American and one of the best prep players in the country.

“When I started doing this five years ago I said to myself, ‘if I can just help one kid it’s worth it’,” Herren said.

At the end of the assembly a young girl stood up in the back of the room in front of the entire school and announced she had been dealing with addiction for five years and felt empowered to make a change thanks to Herren’s talk.

The girl’s announcement was met with cheers and applause from the entire auditorium.