3x3 basketball is relatively new to the Olympics, so here’s an explainer that will prepare you to watch Team USA go after the gold.
While the traditional game of five versus five still dominates basketball, 3-on-3 basketball has quickly exploded onto the scene over the last decade.
The Big 3 has emerged as a fun summer traveling league with NBA legends competing against each other using the 3x3 format. FIBA has tournaments happening year round and 3x3 officially debuted at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The sport has only grown in popularity since then and will be part of the Paris Olympic games.
But what exactly is 3x3 basketball? How does it differ from the traditional five on five and how can you watch Team USA attempt to earn their second gold in the women's division?
Let's take a closer look at the sport and the schedule of games for these summer games.
Your 2024 #3x3WNT pic.twitter.com/CkBXiMbouA
— USA Basketball 3x3 (@usab3x3) July 21, 2024
The women's team will feature Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, Valencia forward Cierra Burdick and TCU guard Hailey Van Lith. Cameron Brink was originally supposed to play for Team USA, but after tearing her ACL, she was ruled out, and Hamby, her L.A. Sparks teammate, took over that spot.
This quartet has plenty of 3x3 experience. Hamby was the 2023 FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup MVP and helped Team USA win the gold in that competition. Burdick was part of the 2023 FIBA World Cup team squad and the 2023 Pan American Games. Howard has more five-on-five experience but has played with the 3x3 team, earning the silver medal in the 2019 Red Bull USA Basketball 3x3 Nationals.
Van Lith is the youngest player on the roster but has been playing with 3x3, representing the country way back in 2018 as part of the U18 team. She was also part of the 2023 FIBA World Cup squad.
Substitutes happen immediately and are decided by the players. Often you will see players switching off possesion by possesion. Given the intensity and speed of the game, you will have to keep an eye on when it happens, or you’ll miss it.
One of the biggest differences starts with the court. 3x3 is played outdoors on a halfcourt, giving it a street ball vibe. The court's dimensions are 36 feet long by 49 feet wide, one foot wider than a WNBA court.
The 3-point line difference is marginal as the top of the key in the WNBA is 22’1.75” while 3x3 is 22’1.5”.
The official 3x3 ball is the same for both the men's and women's games. It has the same weight as a traditional men's ball but the size of a women's basketball. So there is some adjustment for both depending on your perspective.
The idea is that the smaller size makes it easier to handle and pass the ball and is better suited given the speed and intensity of the 3x3 game.
There is no jump ball to start a 3x3 game in the Olympics. Instead, there is a coin toss and the winner either begins the game on offense or defense.
Once the game begins, the general rules you know and understand are the same in five-on-five and 3x3. Things like traveling, double dribbles, blocks and charges, etc., work identically. It's the same with possession, which switches after a made basket or a defensive rebound turnover or violation.
Since we only have a halfcourt and one hoop, how we gain possession and score changes versus a full-court game.
In 3x3, when a team gains possession of the ball inside the arc, they need to dribble it out or pass it to a teammate outside the arc before they can take a shot. If you've ever played 21 outside, it's the same idea. You can't grab a defensive rebound and go straight up and score; you have to "take the ball out" by going outside the arc.
In 3x3, baskets are worth either one or two points. Inside the arc, every basket is worth one, and outside the arc, it's worth two. Free throws are worth one.
The game is extremely fast-paced, with just one 10-minute period. The first team to score 21 points wins regardless of how much time is left in the game. If neither team reaches the threshold, the team with more points by the end of these 10 minutes is named the victor.
If the score is tied by the end of regulation time, we head to overtime and the first team to score two points wins the game. The game is so short that the shot clock also reflects that as you only have 12 seconds to get a shot off.
So, as you can see, the margin for error or a bad run is non-existent. You have to come out sharp if you want to win.
All games will be streaming via Peacock nbcolympics.com
Women's 3x3 Olympic Games Pool Play
Eight teams are vying for the gold, and each team will play each other in the round-robin setup.
After pool play, all eight teams will be ranked based on their records. The top two teams will advance directly to the semifinals and the bottom two teams will be eliminated from the tournament.
The other four teams will compete in the play-in round — third vs. sixth, fourth vs. fifth — for the final two spots in the semifinals, with the winners moving on.
The winners of the two semifinal games will advance to the gold-medal match and the losers will compete in the bronze-medal game.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88.
