Three-on-three basketball is expected to make the final cut for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, something that the International Olympics Committee will finalize this week.
The IOC will meet on Friday to determine who will host the 2024 and 2028 Summer Olympics, at which time three-on-three basketball could also be finalized. IOC officials see three-on-three basketball as a chance to add a popular urban team sport to a schedule that already includes two urban individual sports — skateboarding and sport climbing.
While it is basketball, the Olympics aren’t necessarily expecting to reach top NBA stars with this sport. Traditional basketball will remain an event in the 2020 Olympics, after all, with legendary San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich leading the team.
“(Three-on-three basketball) a different skill set,” FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann told the Associated Press. “It’s really a 10-minute sprint, no coach, so you need to take the right decisions.”
Instead, a closer comparison would be the famed outdoor courts in New York like Rucker Park, where streetballers play and perform in front of large audiences. Adding three-on-three basketball would add 96 athletes to the 2020 games.
Still, that begs the obvious question: if you could pick from every basketball player in the world, who’s your ideal three-on-three team? Drop it in the comments
Right now?
Lebron, Durant, Kawhi.
The rest of the world would just start crying and hand over the gold.
Man, that is tough to decide who to go with in a 3 on 3 full court game. I would think there would be a SHIT LOAD of running up and down the court and less half court offense going on. So my only "No doubter" in my starting 3 would be #0. Throw KD and Lebron in there and I dont think they could be stopped.
RdotC - Right now?That team would basically be unstoppable
Lebron, Durant, Kawhi.
The rest of the world would just start crying and hand over the gold.
Gay
Hot sauce, the professor, and shaq
I'd like to see them make HORSE and Around The World olympic sports too.
Its officially added to the 2020 Olympics
Is this going to be all the guys who can't make the full team or will players play in the 5 on 5 and 3 on 3 games?
Either way you can go ahead and pencil USA in at first, second, and third.
Wait, three-on-three basketball? In the Olympics? Really?
Really. The International Olympic Committee has its flaws — standing by as cities spend themselves into decades’ worth of debt to host two-week events, for one — but it’s also recognizing that sports like dressage (you know, horse dancing) don’t exactly resonate with today’s limited-attention-span, screen-obsessed youth. The solution: basketball, TO THE EXXXTREME.
Fine. How does it work?
Each game is 10 minutes long, no halftime, no break, no time-outs. The shot clock is 12 seconds, so no four-quarters garbage here. Oh, and the game is half-court. In other words: no transition offense, no wasted time, nowhere to hide.
The U.S. will totally dominate, right?
Maybe. But keep in mind that the rest of the world has been playing this style of ball for years now — there’s an entire 3-on-3 worldwide tour that culminates this fall in Beijing. Overconfidence about America’s basketball abilities versus the rest of the world has gotten Team USA in trouble before.
Come on. We roll out Russell Westbrook, James Harden, KD and …
Theoretically, yeah, but those cats will likely either be taking some time off or playing for Team USA. That leaves the door open for recent retirees, undrafted college greats, and playground icons to scrap for spots on the team. (Each team has four players, three starters and one substitute, meaning everybody gets plenty of PT.)
Plus, let’s not forget the bizarre new “Big 3” basketball league, which involveinvolvesne from Ice Cube to Dr. J to Allen Iverson, that’s getting off the ground. That could be the proving ground for an Olympic team. Stranger things have happened. Not many, but a few.
This is going to be goofy.
That’s not a question.
OK. Is this going to be just a ridiculous pounding-music pandering pseudo-sport?
Funny, the same arguments creaked forth against beach volleyball, but that’s turned into one of the most popular events at the Summer Games. Our guess? Three-on-three is going to become one of the most-watched, and most-emulated, events at the Tokyo Games. We can’t wait.
Starting 3 should be Lebron, KD, Kawhi.
Back ups in case of prior injury or no desire to go should be Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and Curry.
I cant imagine the US losing
By 2020 Lebron will have a cane and 3 hip replacements.
RdotC - Right now?
Lebron, Durant, Kawhi.
The rest of the world would just start crying and hand over the gold.
First post nails it
3 on 3?
IOC felt like the USA needed more gold medals apparently.
LOL @ this
Kings21 - GayIs Rudy Gay still in the league?
Its 3 years away. I dont think LeBron is still in his prime and willing to sign up for that.
The Olympics needs to get rid of a lot of sports that don't belong there, not add more pointless ones.
popcornkilldya - Its 3 years away. I dont think LeBron is still in his prime and willing to sign up for that.
Can't imagine him playing a season, post season then Olympics.
RdotC - Right now?
Lebron, Durant, Kawhi.
The rest of the world would just start crying and hand over the gold.
I'd imagine they want them on the regular men's team. LeBron will be 35 and will probably have about 1400 NBA games on his legs with an average of nearly 40 minutes a game. I know he is a physical freak of nature. But will he still be the explosive threat to drive the lane in 3 more years?
T-Ham - 3 on 3?
IOC felt like the USA needed more gold medals apparently.
LOL @ this
They need to do it outdoors on black top with chain nets and metal backboards that cause crazy bounces. Then go to Rucker park in June and find the best street ball guys. Then maybe I'd watch it.