Get Inspired: John Amaechi on basketball

Some of the most recognisable and highly-paid athletes on the planet, such as NBA stars LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, competed at London 2012.

John Amaechi, who featured for Orlando Magic and helped England to win bronze at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006, tells BBC Sport how he became Britain's first NBA player despite only picking up basketball aged 17.

More than 300,000 people are estimated to play basketball each month in the United Kingdom, and information about how you can take part can be found on the England Basketball,, externalBasketball Northern Ireland,, externalBasketball Scotland, external and Basketball Wales, external websites.