Rugby was something he dabbled with but it was baskets and backboards rather than breakdowns and backs.
Gear, who will bring up his 100th Super rugby game on Saturday against the Crusaders, said he never thought he had the talent to succeed at any level with the oval ball.
''I played a lot of basketball when I was at school. I was not focused on rugby at all. It was not until I made the sevens, making age-group sides, I sort of had a look,'' he said.
''The thing is, [for] a long-term career in basketball you have to go overseas. And at that stage I did not know anyone. It would have been a massive move for me. I decided to choose rugby ... It was only the last couple of years at school I started focusing about it [rugby] then.
''But even then I was not thinking about Super rugby. All of my mates around me had a lot more talent than me, a lot more skills than I did. I had to work a lot harder than they did.''
Gear did make it far, wearing the All Black jersey 14 times, winning a World Cup and also starring for New Zealand Maori.
Gear, though, said the rewards did not fall into his lap.
''I was quite fortunate. It was an attitude thing, really. I was quite lucky in that sense. I had [older brother and former All Black] Rico to help me. If I had something to work on then he could help me out. So I was lucky in that regard, in that I had that resource. A lot of guys I played with they had the talent, much more than me, and they just turned up on the day, while someone like myself had to work harder to get somewhere.
''It was almost like I was a professional player when I was at school. I trained at the morning before school, then school in the morning, then lunch break, have a gym session, or a speed session within that hour. Then go back to class, First XV training after school and then would head down to the gym after that.''
Gear was a more than handy basketballer, making the senior men's representative side in Gisborne when aged 13. He made the New Zealand under-16 side, playing as a guard, two years in a row.
But rugby beckoned and he has never looked back.
He left Gisborne Boys' High School and moved to North Harbour for a couple of years.
In 2004 he got the call from Hurricanes coach Colin Copper and headed south to the capital, where he stayed until last year when he came to the Highlanders.
''I remember my first game. We played the Chiefs up in Hamilton. The thing I remember most about it was I got this flash new haircut before the game. A couple of days before the game I travelled up there and I did not like it, so I shaved it all off.
''So I ended up playing with a number zero. So that sort of stands out the most.''
He has played against many good wingers in his 99 matches but it is one before he had even started who stands out the most.
''My first pre-season game was against the Blues. I was supposed to be on the bench but Roy Kinikinilau got injured. My brother was on the other wing for them. I ended up marking Rupeni, [Fijian Rupeni Caucaunibuca] and that was when he was in his prime. He scored two tries but luckily, that was on the other side of the field. So that was eye-opening. He was unreal. One of the best wingers ever, really.''
The big winger said he always wanted to prove himself against the best New Zealand wingers, such as Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu.
He is keen to stop a trot which has emerged. The 29-year-old lost his first game, his 50th game and does not want the same result in his 100th.
''It would be nice to win, nice to string a performance together. Challenge ourselves to back up and carry on from where we started against the Blues game. The forwards got some go-forward ball that allowed Sladey [Colin Slade] to attack the line and get the ball wide a bit easier. We need to carry that on.''
Gear admitted it had been a tough season. He said the side had stuck together and never stopped trying hard.
The benefits of that may come in future seasons, but Gear will not be here, having accepted a deal to play for Toulouse in France.
He has enjoyed his time in Dunedin, saying he loves its closeness and the friendly people, but is looking forward getting to France and enjoying a new lifestyle.
