In the dying embers of the men's 3x3 basketball 2022 Commonwealth Games final, it was Birmingham born and bred Myles Hesson who clinched last-gasp gold.

His overtime two-pointer secured a dramatic 17-16 victory for Team England over Australia in front of a raucous home crowd.

Birmingham 2022 marked one decade since Hesson left England to run riot on basketball courts all over the world.

Now, over a year on from his Commonwealth Games exploits, Hesson takes us on the world tour of his basketball career:

Birmingham 1990-2012: The makings of Myles Hesson

I started playing basketball in school at about 13-years-old.

Up until that point, I'd been playing football, but unfortunately when I was 12 years old I got asthma and would have an attack every time I played and had to be subbed off.

Basketball just lent itself to me in that if I could feel my asthma attacks coming on, I'd be able to go out the game, calm myself down and come back on later.

So, I started off with the City of Birmingham Basketball Club until the age of 18.

Then I joined the local division National League side, Birmingham Aces, and that was when I really started to develop as a player.

I played there for two years and got my first taste of national team experience with the under-20s.

I then took my first steps in to the British Basketball League with spells at Essex Pirates and at Liverpool with Mersey Tigers, with the latter being where I had my big breakout season.,

Germany 2012-2015: The email that started it all

It wasn't really tough to make the decision to go to Germany, but it was tough to get there.

Initially, I didn't have any options to play for teams in Britain and I didn't have an agent at the time.

So, it was all down to me and I found a list of coaches who were working overseas and sent them all an email.

I was basically begging any of them to see if they could help me in my career.

Only two people got back to me and luckily one of them was my coach from Essex a few years ago, who was coaching a division three team there.

He replied saying that they had a preseason game on the weekend and if I could get out here by tomorrow, then I could play.

So, I went over and played really well and got signed with the Weißenhorn Youngstars.

When playing as an import in Germany, you're expected to do a lot more than playing in your domestic league, the imports are the difference makers.

So there was a lot of pressure but it was a really good experience for me at such a young age.

I then went on to play for the Basketball Bundesliga teams Ulm, Gießen 46ers and Eisbaren Bremerhaven which really kick started by professional career.



France 2015-2021: Making friends and seeing family

Going to France felt like the next step in my career at that time.

I was signed to the professional team JDA Dijon and this league was very different to the one in Germany - playing in France was a lot faster and a lot more cutthroat.

The French and Germans are also a bit different in terms of imports, I was no longer the star player but I was a link between the Americans and the French players on the team.

I spent so much time progressing in France, proving myself and meeting a bunch of new players and teammates.

I've got friends all over the world now. Basketball is a small community so everyone knows each other wherever you go which is nice.

When playing for Gravelines-Dunkerque, I was only about 25 minutes away from Calais so when I had some time off I would drive back to Birmingham and would be able to visit my family more.

Japan 2021-present: A new style of life

I moved to Japan at a time where I felt like I'd run my course in France.

I wanted to get out but I didn't think I'd end up in Japan, I was thinking more like Italy or somewhere like that.

But the opportunity to come here came as they were trying to develop as a league and it's been great.

I just took the leap of faith again and said, 'Yeah, I'll go do it' and signed with Saga Ballooners for a season.

It was crazy when I first moved because it was in quarantine time but I'm in my third season now, so I've been here for about two and a half years.

Japan is such a crazy country compared to anywhere in Europe, I love it here.

There's a lot of different foods I like, such as ramen and Shabu-shabu, and then when you look at the location and scenery there's everything from beaches and mountains to hot springs and spas.

I'm going into the new season with Toyama Grouses now, and I'm glad to be back.


Birmingham 2022: The golden return

As soon as I heard that the Commonwealth Games were going to be in Birmingham, I put my hat in the ring.

I had missed out on the previous one because it was in Australia and this was my opportunity to come home.

It was a two-year process in finding the right team and playing more 3x3, but going into the tournament all our mindsets were on winning.

Talking about relays of energy, in that final match, when the ball went in and we'd won, it was indescribable.


The fact we won in that specific way as well, I've got to say that I'd rather have just beaten them by 20 and got it out of the way.

Being at home in front of my family and friends and being able to see them all after the game was incredible.

You could really feel the love and joy, everyone in the stadium had that same type of buzz and I still get the same buzz when I think about it now.