 Stokes' main sporting passion was for basketball, where he played at every junior level growing up and won an under-14s best and fairest award whilst still only seven years of age.When he was finally eligible to play football as an under-14, Stokes forced his way into the Palmerston Magpies senior team at only 14 years of age.In 2002, he was a member of Palmerston's premiership-winning side, and it was then that he began to switch his focus from basketball to football.