Initially, Myles Colvin was nervous.

As a wide-eyed rising freshman attending USA Basketball’s Virginia Gold Camp for the first time, he wasn’t exactly sure what to expect.

“That was one of my first big camps, ever,” Myles said. “I was very nervous because anything with USA Basketball is a big deal.”

Despite the sense of pressure he felt then, at 17 years old now, he looks back and sees how he met the moment as best as he knew how.

The nervous kid who arrived at Gold Camp unsure of his ability left camp with newfound confidence and on a pathway that in a few short years led to being a member of the 2022 USA Basketball 3x3 Men’s U18 National Team, which will play Aug. 23-28 in the 2022 FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup in Debrecen, Hungary.

Rosevelt Colvin, Myles’ father, and a former NFL player, instilled in his son the necessity of doing the right work early. Staying ready, as he put it. Readiness, to Rosevelt, set the table for Myles ahead of team trials earlier this month in South Carolina.

When Myles received word he’d made the team, his father – proud – believed it was bound to happen soon.

“It's just been a matter of him staying in his own lane,” Rosevelt said. “I always told him, ‘the moment he gets a chance, he has to be ready.’ This achievement, being selected to be a part of this team, has been a long time coming for him.”

In the summer of 2019, heading into his freshman year at Heritage Christian, Myles also attended the 2019 U.S. Open Basketball Championships, playing with INB ELITE 2023, where he felt like he was measuring himself against some of the best basketball players at his level in the country.

To him, it marked an opportunity to both impress and improve – two things he tries to do every time he steps on the court, he said.

He played against guys who are now in college. He leaned into his on-court virtues – running in transition, shooting and rebounding. His play did what it was supposed to do: turn heads while providing continued exposure to high-level basketball.

“That was such a good experience for me,” Myles said. “I got to feel what top competition feels like.” 

As a staple in USA Basketball’s Youth and Sport Development programming throughout the years, Myles has utilized each event he’s attended as an opportunity to learn from top coaches and people around the organization.

His most pressing concerns are the small coachable moments he received at USAB, which he feels separate him from his peers as a player.

He doesn’t play much on the national circuits, so he values his time with USA Basketball. It’s an opportunity he never takes for granted.

“Playing well with USA Basketball is a really big thing for me,” Myles said.

The 3x3 U18 World Cup is Myles’ most impactful opportunity with USA Basketball to date.

It is something that, in his mind, feels dream-like.

In 2021, he was selected as an alternate player for the U18 World Cup, and seeing that group go on to win a gold medal ignited a yearning to win one of his own.

Myles and his father worked tirelessly to reach that goal.

There were long nights in the gym, practices and training with professional players, and the desire to see holistic improvement.

In making one of USA Basketball’s Junior National Teams this year, both have found validation that the dedication to refinement was worth the investment.

Playing against other 3x3 teams from around the world tantalizes Myles.

Still, he remains grounded but eager to delve into an experience far beyond his everyday world.

“Play against the world -- that is something I’ve never experienced, and it’s something I'm going to have to adjust to,” Myles said. “All I can do is my best.” 

Rosevelt echoed sentiments of pride as a father and humility towards the task ahead while still recognizing that this is only the beginning for his son.

“Myles has been more successful than he's failed, and that is a blessing,” Rosevelt said. “To now be on the stage, to be in front of the whole world and playing against people from across the world is humbling. This has been what he’s been working for.”

Myles stayed patient. He knew that if he assiduously worked at his craft, his opportunity to be a difference-maker would arise. 

Now, by way of 3x3, he’s eager to put the world on notice.

“I'm keeping my foot on the gas,” Myles said. “I have to keep pushing, doing my best and showing my abilities. If I keep working, keep my head down and stay humble, I can be great.”

With a gold medal in sight, he’s a far cry from that nervous kid who showed up at Virginia’s Gold Camp all those years ago.