Basketball fans will be buzzing after hearing the news that three on three basketball was added by the International Olympic Committee for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games. FIBA has been working towards this for a number of years and were able to integrate three on three basketball in the Youth Olympics back in 2010. This will be a high-speed, action-packed game that fans of modern run-and-gun basketball will be salivating over.
The Rules
The games will have a twelve second shot clock and will end after either ten minutes or the first team to get 21 points; teams will have four players, three starters and a substitute; games will be in a half-court setting and the ball will have to be cleared beyond the three-point arc after a turnover or missed shot; shots made inside the arc will be count for one point and outside of the three will count for two points while all made free throws will count as one point. Games will be quick and will emphasize skill and speed over pure size and athleticism.
Why Now
Basketball has been heading towards a tournament like this for some time now. Old school basketball is dying and players like Al Jefferson are becoming extinct. Being big matters less and less in the NBA and across all levels of basketball. Looking at the NBA Finals is a perfect example of where the game is headed. Launching three pointers, spacing the floor and playing with speed. This is what we can expect with this smaller format. For the NBA and FIBA, this will be a great marketing tool for the sport and they will gain fans in areas that may have not enjoyed basketball. This will be used in a similar manner to beach volleyball or rugby sevens. A high-octane event just different enough from the original that it will attract new fans as well as those already in love with the sport.
Who will Play
Because of the expected style there will be a very specific player who could have tremendous success in this type of format. Do not expect DeAndre Jordan to suit up for the United States in a three on three game any time soon. Similar to beach volleyball, mobility will be crucial. It is extremely rare that one sees a 6’9 beach volleyball player while they are littered across indoor volleyball teams. One would think that this tournament would be perfect for smaller guards like Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas.While it is true that this kind of spacing and room would in theory be a dream come true for these players, they may not be the best fit for this sort of tournament.
The versatile player will be the ones who succeed the most in three on three. It might seem cliché that the most dominant players in a three on three tournament would be Kevin Durant and LeBron James because they are arguably the two best players in the world, but it’s the simple truth. Curry and Irving might be able to score at will, but defensively they would struggle if they were to match up against bigger players. It stands to reason that defensively; most teams will have to play one on one as elaborate defenses would be hard to pull off. James and Durant would be able to at least slow down an Irving; but reverse those roles and Irving would be helpless against the 6’9 mobile skill players.
Dominant Countries
There are still questions about whether or not NBA players will participate in the three on three tournament. It is entirely possible that non-professionals take up the mantle. If NBA players were to play there would be one dominant nation; the United States. The U.S. could field a four-man team of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. This would be a terrifying prospect for any nation. Seeing as the U.S. often struggle to get commitment from their best players this scenario is rather unlikely. This would be a great opportunity for players who are not quite superstar level. The likes of Bradley Beal, Victor Oladipo and Rudy Gay come to mind.
Some noteworthy competition for the United States could come from Canada and Australia. Both nations have rising stars in the NBA and tons of more young talent at the collegiate and high school level who have not yet entered the NBA. The Canadians could boast a talented roster of Andrew Wiggins, Jamal Murray, Trey Lyles and Arizona commit Emmanuel Akot. While Australia could potentially have the former number one overall pick Ben Simmonds, Dante Exum, Joe Ingles and Thon Maker.
Main Photo:
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 19: Kyle Lowry #7 and Demar DeRozan #9 of United States warm up prior to the Men’s Semifinal match on Day 14 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Carioca Arena 1 on August 19, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
