3X3 Basketball (eBook)

*For the purposes of this book, we will use the official International Basketball Federation (FIBA) terminology 3x3 basketball, or 3x3 for short, which is distinct from traditional basketball (i.e., five-on-five).

BASKETBALL VARIATIONS AND 3X3

Basketball is one of the world’s most popular sports and people love to play it or watch it no matter what the form. There are several variations of basketball worldwide, with tweaks that differentiate it from the traditional five-on-five discipline, but the core skills that players use with and without the ball remain intact. These variations, which can be either formal or informal, look almost identical to traditional basketball, but there are differences in structure and rules. Informal basketball variations such as “streetball” are played without strict official rules, usually on the playgrounds without referees or other officials. 3x3, on the other hand, is a formal basketball discipline with strict rules. This variation involves two teams of three players each—and usually one substitute—played on one basket. The team wins if it scores 21 points first or has scored the most points by the end of the regulated time period of 10 minutes. Generally, 3x3 shares a lot in common with five-on-five basketball, including ball handling regulations and basic violation rules like goaltending, double dribble, three-second rules, and so on. 3x3 is also easily played on the half of a regular basketball court, and the fundamental skills involved in 3x3 are similar to traditional basketball. However, there are some key structural and rule differences that set the two games apart. As an example in 3x3 compared to traditional basketball, in-game coaching is not allowed; there are three players a side compared to traditional basketball’s five; the 3x3 offensive shot clock is set to 12 seconds rather than basketball’s 24; and 3x3 players use a unique ball which is smaller than the one used in traditional men’s basketball competitions. Based on the aforementioned structural and rule differences, the gameplay of 3x3, including teams’ styles and scoring preferences, also differs from basketball’s, mostly because of different scoring rules. Even though a three-point arc in traditional basketball (*FIBA rules) is the same distance from the basket as the two-point arc in 3x3, 3x3 players choose to take these shots more frequently because they see more value in them. A three-pointer in traditional basketball is worth 50 percent more than a made shot inside the two-point arc, but in 3x3, a shot inside the arc is worth one point while a shot beyond the arc is worth 100 percent more: two points.

Hakeem “The Dream” Olajuwon, NBA Hall of Fame Inductee: “3×3 is the kind of game that everybody loves.”1

Why 3x3 Was Formalized: FIBA’s Goals

Before 2007, traditional basketball was FIBA’s only formal and officially regulated basketball discipline. FIBA (International Basketball Federation) was founded by eight nations in 1932, and it and now brings together 213 national basketball federations worldwide. In the late 2000s, three-on-three streetball, played around the world, aroused the interest of the association. This variation was extremely popular for decades, but athletes simply didn’t have an organized platform to compete more professionally. FIBA saw an excellent opportunity to change this. Their idea was to create a new discipline that would attract new athletes to basketball, allow lower-ranked basketball nations to compete, push the game of basketball into new boundaries, and increase the sport’s popularity. FIBA also had a vision to make basketball the most popular sports community in the world by the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. To attain these changes, they believed the new game format should provide entertainment, be easily accessible to players, and inexpensive and easy to organize. They believed that events should be held in iconic places, city centers, and urban areas where the action could catch the attention of passers-by.

Initially, FIBA had to overcome a few obstacles, with their first goal being to structure, organize, and formalize three-on-three. Another goal was to provide an international platform to showcase it worldwide. This led to three-on-three making its official worldwide debut in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. The move from three-on-three played informally on the street to a formal basketball discipline involved a name change to “3x3.” In the past, 3x3 was often mistakenly referred to as “3-on-3” basketball, but FIBA has made it very clear that the official name of this basketball discipline is 3x3. The correct pronunciation FIBA has set is “3 ex 3.” Since 2010, the game has quickly progressed and become global under the guidance of FIBA 3x3, which set up a World Cup and other regional cups for national teams and World Tour events for professional teams.

The popularization of 3x3 began in Europe and Asia and later spread to the USA and other parts of the world as fans fell in love with its entertainment value. 3x3 is always about more than just the on-court action. It genuinely seeks to entertain people through various side events, such as a dunking contest. The high entertainment value, urban culture, and the fact that 3x3 is organized in tournaments where spectators can see multiple games in one day has helped capture new fans who might not have been interested in hoops before.

Only seven years passed from when 3x3’s first official international event was held in 2010 to when it was added to the Olympic program on June 9, 2017, slated for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Few major sports have received such international recognition so fast. This was a result of the great work of the whole 3x3 community, most especially the cooperation of FIBA, national basketball federations, and private promotors. Many do not know who the key FIBA official was that initiated the 3x3 movement and later accelerated 3x3 development. The late FIBA Secretary General Patrick Baumann was the 3x3’s early pioneer, who foresaw that it would be a major part of basketball’s future. He envisioned it as a perfect game for youth because it challenges them to be more innovative. He also believed 3x3 could help expand basketball beyond traditional boundaries because costs for staging outdoor 3x3 events are lower, and not as much infrastructure is required compared to a traditional basketball game in the indoor arena. This would allow 3x3 to quickly spread to new frontiers. Furthermore, and most important, he believed that 3x3 offers non-traditional basketball countries opportunities to participate in international competitions, which can be difficult for these nations given the large number of players required to comprise a traditional basketball team. Traditional basketball tests the depth of smaller nations because teams need to have 12 players. In 3x3, however, the depth of talent is less vital because teams only need four players, putting many nations on more equal footing.

The Rise of Non-Basketball Powerhouses

This basketball discipline isn’t just better balanced, but it is also more unpredictable given the short time frame and low scoring target of 21 points. There have already been many memorable underdog stories in 3x3, with Mongolia’s high rankings in both the men’s and women’s categories a testament to this. Other countries, such as Latvia, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Qatar, and Ukraine have won medals in FIBA 3x3 World Cups, which was not achievable for them in traditional basketball. On the flip side, the USA—the undisputed basketball powerhouse—only won their first men’s FIBA 3x3 World Cup in 2019 and has been upstaged over the years by Eastern European countries. The red, white, and blue have had better success in the women’s category, where they have won several World Cups. However, winning the first men’s gold medal for the USA and getting an MVP at the 2019 FIBA 3x3 World Cup helped Robbie Hummel receive the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year award. The previous awardees include superstars Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Reggie Miller. Many high-profile NBA and WNBA players have represented the USA at FIBA 3x3 World Cups, including Zach Collins, PJ Washington, Arike Ogunbowale, and Sabrina Ionescu. This shows that even big countries have serious intentions for this up-and-coming Olympic discipline.

Men’s USA team, winning their first FIBA 3x3 World Cup in 2019. From left to right: Robbie Hummel, Kareem Maddox, Canyon Barry, Damon Huffman.

Team of the tournament at the FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2019: Karlis Lasmanis (LAT), Robbie Hummel (USA), Michael Hicks (POL).

Different Variations of Three Players Against Three on One Basket

Many basketball players encountered the stripped-down format of playing three against three on one basket before 3x3 was formalized. Players played this way through streetball variation on outdoor courts or at traditional basketball practices. Traditional basketball involves five players from...