According to many people, Olympic Games are the main event in any player’s career. Many sports are not included in the schedule of the Olympics and players are disappointed for not participating on the global stage. They are still dreaming of representing their nation in front of a large crowd eager to show what has been trained last four years.
One of the athletes who hope to take part in the Olympic Games is Kareem Maddox. Former basketball and now 3×3 star is happy because 3×3 basketball became part of such a big manifestation after a long period of waiting.
How were Kareem’s college days looking like?
While attending Princeton College, Maddox played for the team for four consecutive seasons.
His team had a nightmare 2007/2008 season suffering 23 defeats and winning only 6 games. After the worst season in school history, things started to go better for the team and players. During the 2010/2011 season in Princeton, Kareem went on to produce 13.8 points and grab 7 rebounds per game.
That season ended to be one of the most successful in the history of the school with Princeton having a 25-7 score.
Overall, Kareem Maddox scored 822 points and grabbed 456 rebounds over his four-year career.
What was the first major trophy in Maddox’s 3×3 basketball career?
After graduating with a degree at Princeton in English literature in 2011, Maddox tried to build a basketball career. Following not so successful time in Poland and Netherlands playing 5×5 basketball, Kareem redirected himself to the game on one rim.
Getting the call to represent the national team at 2019 World Cup in Amsterdam was major recognition for the hero of today’s story. Playing alongside Robbie Hummel, Canyon Barry, and Damon Huffman in the squad was a tremendously exciting experience for Maddox.
The USA national team was very convincing throughout the whole tournament recording all seven victories, including beating World Champion at that time – Serbia.
What other competition did Kareem Maddox play for the USA in 2019?
Kareem Maddox, Dominique Jones, Jon Octeus, and Sheldon Jeter were a powerful quartet that represented the USA at the 2019 Pan American Games. Despite finishing the group stage with two wins and three losses and average performances of the team, the guys from the USA turned the table around when they needed it the most – in the elimination phase.
Brazil was first beaten convincingly with 21-12 in the semi, while Puerto Rico was defeated with 21-19 in the tight clash in the game for the gold medal.
How was the first season for Kareem in World Tour?
Joining USA team Princeton in 3×3 basketball in 2018 was maybe the best Kareem’s decision as his career went upward after that. Princeton took part in eight Masters, the biggest tournaments in World Tour that season.
Following two second places in Prague and Lausanne, clinching the trophy in Los Angeles by beating two Serbian giants Novi Sad and Liman in the semifinal and final, respectively.
Shock to the 3×3 audience and first-ever victory in Masters came after the brilliant performance of MVP Kareem Maddox who grabbed 8 rebounds and made 1 block. Another player in a great mood was his teammate Damon Huffman recording 12 points in the fixture for first place.
How successful was Kareem in his second campaign on World Tour?
The season whose beginning was conditioned by the pandemic started in Hungarian City Debrecen from August 2020. The USA team missed the first tournament since they were not able to qualify, so their first station was in the fourth Masters of the season in Doha.
The capital of Qatar was the place where Kareem Maddox, Damon Huffman, Dan Mavraides, and Craig Moore tried to make noticeable result in November. Winning two fixtures in the group stage against German Bielefeld and Serbian Ub gave high hopes to Princeton’s fans.
However, a harsh reality struck Maddox and his teammates when they lost the quarterfinal against Saudi Arabian team Jeddah with 21-17.
What occurred with Maddox in the first ever 3×3 AmeriCup?
Due to his good performances in Princeton, Kareem was invited to the USA squad for the first continental championship in history. The USA competed in pool A together with Mexico and Uruguay passing the group with two wins.
After beating relatively easily Jamaica and Puerto Rico in the first two elimination stages, Brazil stood as the last obstacle to a gold medal at the 2021 AmeriCup held in Miami, Florida.
Eventually, the USA pulled out a 21-15 victory in the final game clinching the trophy and bringing joy to anybody supporting this nation. Three other members of the roster who deservedly was on the throne were Trey Bardsley, Charlie Brown Jr., and Canyon Barry.
Which place did Princeton take in the 2021 season?
Zahir Carrington was a new face in Princeton’s roster for the 10th edition of this 3×3 most prestigious competition on the planet. After taking 9th place at Lausanne Masters, Kareem and his teammates played an amazing tournament in Canadian City Montreal.
Robbie Hummel, MVP of the 2019 World Cup, and Damon Huffman were the other two members of the squad that reached the semifinal of the tournament in North America.
A big victory was recorded in the pool stage against Amsterdam, but Ub got revenge against the USA guys in the semi with 20-19. Despite elimination in the Top 4 phase, the hero of our story left a good impression on the spectators.
What happened to Kareem’s team at qualifications for the first-ever 3×3 Olympic Games in Tokyo?
Robbie Hummel, Joey King, Dominique Jones, and Kareem Maddox formed a strong USA squad to participate in the qualification tournament for the 2021 Olympic Games. The competition was held in the city of Graz where 20 teams competed for the first three places that took the nation to the biggest national 3×3 event on the planet.
After three wins and one loss in the pool stage, the USA was a big favorite in the quarterfinal against the Netherlands. The status of the World Champion and performances in the group stage gave credibility to the USA team, but the unexpected happened that afternoon in Austria.
The Netherlands made upset and defeated the devastated USA guys with 21-16, so Kareem’s dream about the Olympics was crushed.
How did Kareem’s defense of the title in AmeriCup go?
Defending title was a plan USA wanted to achieve with Kareem Maddox, Robbie Hummel, Jimmer Fredette, and Dylan Travis.
Competing with Brazil and Guatemala was not a hard task for title defenders as they ended the pool stage with a 2-0 score. Mexico and Trinidad Tobago as hurdles were skipped successfully before the big final game against Puerto Rico.
The number one USA player at that moment Kareem Maddox scored amazing 9 points in the final fixture helping his nation to win with 21-18 and claim another gold medal. Kareem is praised by many players for giving support to his younger teammates.
Which result did Kareem’s Princeton have in the 2022 World Tour?
Following solid 2021 Kareem’s season with Princeton, the USA team came into the 11th edition of this amazingly interesting competition with high goals.
First Masters in Japanese Utsunomiya showed that those ambitions were justified as Maddox and his teammates reached the final game against Ub. The Serbian team led by Dejan Majstorovic was too strong pulling out the victory with 22-16.
After Utsunomiya Opener, Princeton took 7th, 5th, and 10th place at Montreal, Paris, and Abu Dhabi Masters respectively. Emotional control was often viewed as the biggest Kareem’s flaw on the court and this tournament confirmed that opinion.
After watching Olympic Games in his home country in 1996 as a kid, Maddox concentrated on his goal to perform for the USA in Olympic Games. Is he going to be able to take his nation to chosen elite of 8 teams to the capital of France?
Many factors will decide the outcome of qualifications, for sure. Current form, condition, team chemistry, individual inspiration, available roster, etc. Certainly, Kareem had a turbulent road in the basketball part and the 3×3 part of his career.
The unconventional path can finish with an amazing gold medal in the Olympics and Kareem Maddox can be written with golden letters in the history of American sport.
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