Shanice Beckford-Norton believes that a medal at Glasgow 2026 could be the propulsion needed to turn England into a 3x3 basketball powerhouse.

The 29-year-old soared to Commonwealth Games silver at Birmingham 2022 and has since bolstered the London Lions to a historic EuroCup victory in 2024.

The latter came in the more established format of 5v5 basketball but the future of the sport lies somewhere snappier according to Beckford-Norton.

The Commonwealth Games favours the half-court and quicker 3x3 format, which is also set to make it's debut at the LA 2028 Olympics, and it's a game that England have only excelled at.

With Glasgow 2026 now knocking on the door, Beckford Norton is ready to use the increased publicity to fire England to continued success.

"I think that 3x3 is the perfect sport to get more people into basketball," she said.

"It’s super quick which is great for kids with their attention spans these days and it is just so dynamic and it allows you to be more creative.

"The format and structure, with a DJ and Emcee explaining the rules as the game goes on, allows that accessibility.

"It is also a lot easier to play socially, you don't need that many people to play 3x3 in a park, and you don't even need a full court so it can bring a lot of awareness to the sport."

At Birmingham 2022, Team England won an incredible four medals, with the men winning gold, the women silver and both men's and women's wheelchair teams taking home bronze.

With more funding now being pumped into the programme and more opportunities for medals this summer, 3x3 basketball is evidently ripe for growth in the country.

"It also shows us where we can grow our priorities because we can get more success in 3x3," she added.

"We can put more funding and more investment into the game now and change how we approach it compared to 5v5.

"I think that will make it easier to develop more talent from a younger age."

Before taking to Glasgow, Beckford-Norton's attention is all on the domestic league.

Since leaving London Lions at the end of the 2024 season, the guard made the change to Oakland Wolves and is now leader of the pack as the look to the end of their season.

The Wolfpack walked away as SLBW Trophy winners and League champions last year and are eager to continue their fine form as the regular season comes to an end this April.

"The goal right now is to finish on top of the domestic league but it's a quick transition and flip after playoffs to Glasgow," she said.

"Everyone is super excited to think about what could happen this summer.

"For me, to be around Team England and everything behind the scenes as a nation, I think it will set us up really well for the future of the sport.

"The Commonwealth Games is fuel to the fire in what I want to achieve."

With the clock ticking down to Glasgow 2026, Team England have officially revealed their kit for the Games, inspired by Glaswegian artist Charles Rennie Mackintosh.

Taking part in the photography shoot ahead of the announcement, it was a moment of pure excitement and buzz for Beckford-Norton who knows just how important kit is to an athlete's multi-sport journey.

"In 2013, I did the Youth Olympics which was my first ever 3x3 event on the international stage but I missed the kitting out," she said,

"Actually being there is so different and I finally got to experience that in Birmingham.

"Everyone is just so happy and excited and it's all for us and to help us prep for the Games.

A lot has gone into making sure that every sport and every athlete feels comfortable in what they are wearing, whether it is practice, casual or competition.

"People say 'look good, feel good' and that is exactly what this is.

"Everything with Team England is always so sharp and when it gets to podium time, every moment feels so good when you are kitted out."