I grew up in Mareeba, Far North Queensland, watching the Olympics and seeing the green and gold. I knew I wanted to wear it. I moved out of home at 15 to pursue basketball during my senior years of high school. I attended the Australian Institute of Sport at 17. Within a year I signed a full scholarship at Washington State University, where I played four seasons. After that, now 22 and having only dreamed of playing basketball for a living, the kid from Mareeba signed his first professional contract in Lithuania. Within four years I had also realised my dream of becoming an Olympian and signed my first deal in the NBA.

I learned from some of the best coaches in basketball and led teams at different points in my career. Injuries were part of the job, and I came back from several.

The biggest setback came after a season in Toronto where I was publicly blamed and benched. At the Tokyo Games I slipped on wet tiles running into the locker room. It was a spinal cord bleed, and doctors questioned if I would walk again. Early on, a small win felt like a loss. I lost my NBA contract while in a hospital bed.

While my body recovered, I took on a second challenge: understanding my mental health and working to improve it. I had young children who deserved a father who was around, so I started the work on my mind that I had avoided for my whole career, because I feared it would change the player I was. During what became my final professional season, I was separated from my wife and family, and a divorce followed. I found lessons and strength I did not know were there.

Now I speak to groups, companies and teams about leadership, resilience and mental health. I am a KAILO Nutrition ambassador and a provider for League Ahead, the National Rugby League's player welfare program.