Born in the streets and expanded due to its ease, 3×3 basketball has become increasingly important in the world. From its own FIBA world circuits to the growing and expectant participation of sport in the Olympic Games. In Paris 2024 there will also be medals in dispute for this smaller but expanding basketball.
“3×3 is simple and flexible enough to be played anywhere and by anyone. All you need is a basket, half court and six players,” FIBA describes this discipline.
NEW YORK, 100 YEARS BEFORE
Although being an urban sport it is not easy to mention with certainty where and when its origin was, most voices point to the parks of New York, United States, in the 1930s. From then on it has evolved in the time until moving to global and federative levels. It is said that the first official tournaments were held in the 1970s. In fact, 2024 will commemorate 50 years of the Original Gus Macker 3-on-3 championship, syndicated as one of the pioneering 3×3 basketball tournaments.
Its entry into the Olympic Games came after in 2007 the International Olympic Committee asked its committees and associated federations to propose new sports to include in the Olympic cycle. There the idea of integrating 3×3 basketball arose, which at that time was still an amateur modality.
Gradually it was tested until it was already a formal part of the Olympic Games. Its first foray was in the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games and then in the 2014 Nanjing and 2018 Buenos Aires Games. A year before the latter, in 2017, the IOC had announced that 3×3 basketball would become part of the Tokyo 2020, the first participation in history in the most important sporting event there can be.
WORLD CIRCUIT 3×3
Currently, it is FIBA that organizes the official 3×3 events, from the World Circuit to the World Cups and different categories of global participation. “3×3 is an opportunity for new players, organizers and countries to go from the streets to the world circuit. Sports stars play a professional circuit and several of the most prestigious multidisciplinary events,” describes the Federation.
What is coming worldwide for 3×3 are the Olympic Games. It will be held between July 30 and August 5 at La Concorde, the home of urban sports in Paris 2024. Breaking, BMX and Skateboarding will be held there. They all share the same thing: of street origin but destined for the big stages.
😤 SHE’S HER! 🔥
🇪🇸 Sandra Ygueravide gets Spain the Semi-Final W in OT! 🥶#3x3WS #3x3WSBordeaux pic.twitter.com/P17bGRvXfp
— FIBA 3×3 Basketball (@FIBA3x3) July 10, 2024