This style of basketball isn’t only more balanced, but it also has a higher degree of uncertainty due to the limited timeframe and the lower scoring limit, which is 21 points.
There have been many unforgettable stories of underdogs in 3×3, with Mongolia’s outstanding scores in both the men’s and women’s categories being a testimony to this. Other nations, like Latvia, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Qatar, and Ukraine, have been awarded medals at FIBA 3×3 World Cups, which is almost impossible in basketball’s traditional format.
On the other hand, the USA, the most renowned basketball powerhouse, not long ago won their first men’s FIBA 3×3 World Cup in 2019 and has been beaten in the past by Eastern European countries. As a result, USA men did not even succeed in qualifying for the 3×3 Olympics in Tokyo when 3×3 debuted.
The red, white, and blue have seen better results in the women’s division which has seen them win many World Cups.
But when the USA men succeeded in winning the first men’s gold medal for the USA, that did not pass unnoticed. Robbie Hummel, who was not only part of that squad but was MVP in the 2019 FIBA 3×3 World Cup, received the USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year award. The winners of that award include superstars Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, and Reggie Miller.
Numerous elite NBA or WNBA players have been part of the USA at FIBA 3×3 World Cups, such as Zach Collins, PJ Washington, Arike Ogunbowale, and Sabrina Ionescu. It is clear that even large countries are serious about this fresh basketball discipline.
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