HICKS Michael

17 Jun 1983
38
Male
1.90/6'2''
NASHVILLE, TN
 
United States of America
STAROGARD GDANSKI
 
Poland

Events and Medals

Discipline Event Rank Medal
BK3 3x3 Basketball Men 7

Schedule

Change
Start Time Location Event Status
Aomi Urban Sports Park
POL
Poland
14
LAT
Latvia
21
Finished
Aomi Urban Sports Park
JPN
Japan
19
POL
Poland
20
Finished
Aomi Urban Sports Park
POL
Poland
12
SRB
Serbia
15
Finished
Aomi Urban Sports Park
ROC
ROC
16
POL
Poland
21
Finished
Aomi Urban Sports Park
POL
Poland
19
CHN
China
21
Finished
Aomi Urban Sports Park
NED
Netherlands
22
POL
Poland
20
Finished
Aomi Urban Sports Park
BEL
Belgium
16
POL
Poland
14
Finished

Biographical Information

Highlights

:
3x3 World Cup
RankEventYearLocation
3Men2019Netherlands
4Men2018Philippines

3x3 Europe Cup
RankEventYearLocation
5Men2019Hungary
5Men2018Romania
:
Mike, Money in the Bank ["A long time ago, my friend called me this name. He said that if I get the ball, then points are guaranteed, like money in the bank."] (dziennikpolski24.pl, 02 Jan 2018). (dziennikpolski24.pl, 02 Jan 2018)
:
Athlete
:
University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO, USA
:
Wife Dagna, son Michael Jr., daughter Maliya
:
English, Polish
:
Piotr Renkiel [national], POL
:
He has also played 5-on-5 basketball. In January 2020 he signed a contract with Polpharma Starogard Gdanski in the Polish Basketball League [PLK]. (polskikosz.pl, 11 Feb 2020, wp.pl, 09 Jan 2020)
:
2018 for Poland, World Cup in Manila, Philippines (magazynsportowiec.pl, 25 Jun 2019; sport.pl, 05 Jul 2019)
:
He took up basketball at age six. (polskikosz.pl, 13 Sep 2016)
:
Basketball is a family sport. "My dad, mum, uncles, aunts, they all have loved basketball, so I learnt to love it from them. I started to play when I was six. I played three on three, two on two, one on one, street games, whatever. I just loved to play any type of basketball." (polskikosz.pl, 13 Sep 2016)
:
To win a medal at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. (wp.pl, 26 Jun 2019)
:
Winning bronze at the 2019 World Cup in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. (wp.pl, 26 Jun 2019)
:
US basketball player Kobe Bryant. (dziennikpolski24.pl, 02 Jan 2018)
:
He was named Best Scorer of the 2019 World Cup in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. (fiba.basketball, 23 Jun 2019)

While playing 5-on-5 college basketball for University of Central Missouri in the United States of America, he was a First Team All-American selection by the National Association of Basketball Coaches [NABC] in 2005/06. In 2012 he was inducted into the university's sports Hall of Fame. (ucmathletics.com, 2012)

General Interest

General
FROM THE US TO POLAND
He was born in the United States of America and grew up in Smyrna, TN. He came to Europe in 2006 after finishing his college 5-on-5 basketball career at University of Central Missouri. "During my second year in college I was invited to a Boston Celtics camp. Everyone was there, including Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen and Tony Allen also played then. I was not selected, so I started to search for luck in Europe." He initially played in Turkey, before moving to France, and then Poland in 2008, where he became a well-known player at Polpharma Starogard Gdanski after helping them win the Polish Cup [2011] and Polish Super Cup [2011]. He met his wife Dagna while playing there, and after getting married he applied for Polish citizenship, which he received in 2016. In 2018 he became eligible to represent Poland at international level. "I have never regretted my decision, Poland turned out to be the best decision for me." (dziennikpolski24.pl, 02 Jan 2018; wp.pl, 02 Feb 2016; polskikosz.pl, 13 Sep 2016; magazynsportowiec.pl, 25 Jun 2019)

TRASH TALKER
He has gained a reputation for distracting opponents through 'trash talk' on the 3x3 court. "It's been like that since I was eight years old. Street ball, talking trash, sweating, bleeding, this is my life. When I was growing up I was the smallest one playing with older kids, and they used to beat me up and talk trash to me, and it would take me out my game, so I thought 'Let me try this'. I don't mean anything by the trash talk, I love all the guys, but on the court anything goes." (FIBA3X3 Youtube page, 12 Aug 2016)

FAMILY LOSS
In 2017 his mother died in a car accident while he was competing in the 3x3 World Tour in Prague, Czech Republic. His Polish wife, Dagna, says he continues to play for her memory. "Since then, Mike pushes himself even more. He does everything for his mother's memory. He wants her to be proud of him," Dagna said. (sport.pl, 05 Jul 2019)

OTHER ACTIVITIES
He holds basketball training classes for kids in a small village near his home in Starogard Gdanski, Poland. He is also engaged in other projects promoting basketball among children in Poland. (sport.pl, 05 Jul 2019)

Legend
:
Gold Medal Event
:
Silver Medal Event
:
Bronze Medal Event
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