The 40-year-old was part of the Australia side that won the Basketball title on home soil at Gold Coast 2018, but had to settle for a runners-up spot in the inaugural 3x3 tournament four years ago. The Gangurrus lost 17-16 in overtime to England in the gold medal game at Birmingham 2022.

“If we’d won at Birmingham, I’d still be as motivated,” Wagstaff (pictured left) said. “If you win, you want more. If you don’t, you want it anyway.”

Measuring 203cm, he is teaming up with Games debutants Jonah Antonio, Jarred Bairstow and Samuel McDaniel.

“It was obviously disappointing at the time but this is a whole new tournament, a whole new Games, a whole new team, and regardless of the result then, the motivation is still unchanged,” Wagstaff said.

Wagstaff expects another fiercely competitive tournament.

"There are some very good teams. New Zealand are good, England, Scotland – obviously, the host country – and Nigeria,” he said.

“With 3x3 play, you’ve got to be on your toes because a game is so short that you have to stay focused.

“We’ve got three games on the first day, so we worry about the first one, then move onto the second and third, and take it from there.”

Defending champions England will again be the team to beat. Four years ago, Myles Hesson drained the game-winning two-pointer in the dying seconds to secure gold but Jamell Anderson is the only member of that squad to return for these Games.

“Since we won gold, other countries have reacted,” said Anderson, who will be joined at Glasgow 2026 by Ashley Hamilton, Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye and Evan Walshe.

“A lot of teams now look more like the team we had in Birmingham. At the same time, we’ve changed our approach and evolved as a team, so the competition is different. We probably have a target on our backs now.

“I relish that challenge. Winning gold was difficult, and that’s how I like things to be. I don’t want an easy road.

“I would be really upset if we don’t win gold again. I don’t mind saying that, but at the end of the day we’re representing England, trying to do the best job we can, and what will be will be.”

England looking for revenge

In the Women's 3x3 tournament, Canada will defend their Commonwealth crown in Glasgow having beaten England 14-13 in the Birmingham 2022 final.

They underlined their favourites status by taking fourth place at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, while Birmingham bronze medallists Australia, who finished fifth in the French capital, also have designs on topping the podium.

England will be out to avenge that one-point defeat in the gold medal match four years ago.

“The gold is the ultimate goal. I think about this all the time, like, we got so close (in 2022),” England’s Cheridene Green said.

“When people ask, ‘how did you do?’ I think, ‘we did great, we got silver’, but it still hurts my heart because we could have got more.”

Green’s teammate Shanice Beckford-Norton will also use memories of 2022 as motivation.

“A gold medal would mean redemption,” Beckford-Norton said.

“We know where we fell short before and we know what we need to improve. Even though the games are only 10 minutes long, the fatigue can make you switch off for a moment.

“Even when I try not to think about Birmingham, I’m reminded of it. We watched it again the year after and we've watched it again ahead of these Games.

“I definitely want to create some new core memories.”

The 3x3 Basketball competition starts on 24 July. For the full schedule, click here.