Tokyo 2020 New Event Highlight: 3x3 Basketball
Have you ever wondered how the sports are selected at the Olympic Games? Well the process is really quite straightforward. The International Olympic Committee selects twenty five “core” sports that are mandatory events in Olympic competitions. Some of these decisions are based on historical and cultural traditions, such as wrestling or track and field. Others are based more on global popularity like football and table tennis. The core sports selected are ones that the IOC believes best represents the values of the Olympics and forms the identity. However, each year as the Olympics continue to develop, there has been a little more freedom handed over to the host nations. The host organizing committee does have the ability to add sports that they believe will help bolster local interest and help create a unique experience for that specific Olympic Games. For Tokyo 2020, they have added a total of eight additional sports to the core list. One of these events is a new format in a game we all know and love, basketball.
3x3 Basketball At The Olympics
Location Of Event: Aomi Urban Sports Venue
Dates: July 25th-July 29th
Basketball’s popularity globally and at the Olympics has increased tremendously in the past few decades. It tends to pull lots of viewers especially from basketball crazy countries like the United States and China. Although there are sometimes major upsets like in 2004 when Argentina was able to defeat the power house United States in the semi finals, leading to their eventual gold medal. It still tends to be one of the more predictable events. In both men and women's basketball in tends to be the same 3 or 4 teams who completely dominate. However when Tokyo 2020 arrives there will be some new life and excitement brought back into the sport.
The Tokyo Summer Olympics will be the first opportunity to showcase the 3 on 3 format of basketball on the worlds biggest stage. It has garnered lots of attention from not only fans of the sport but also from NBA superstars. The reason being it brings basketball back to the blacktop and playground, which every basketball player has played one time or another.
The 3x3 basketball event at the Olympics will consist of 2 separate tournaments for men and women’s teams. Each tournament will comprise of 8 teams, which will have to qualify via 3x3 Federation’s world rankings or one of the qualifying tournaments. Japan is saved a spot but has to meet the “host nations” minimum requirements. Here is a link to the official pdf released by FIBA and the IOC, detailing the exact qualification system.
3x3’s Rules & Equipment
The 3x3 basketball format differs from the standard game we know in many aspects. For instance it will be played on a half court as opposed to a full court. This obviously means half court sets are much more important as the fast break is essentially eliminated. However to ensure the game doesn’t get too stagnant, the shot clock has been reduced to only 12 seconds, half the time of a normal NBA possession. If you have played half court games before your familiar with the clearing rule. Since there is only one net, this rule has to be put into place where after grabbing a defensive rebound a player or a teammate must pass the three point line for the net to flip to the offensive side. In the event of a steal or a turnover, this rule does not apply.
The court size is not the only change from the 5 on 5 game. It is a single 10 minute period, with the winning team being the first to 21 points. However you must win by at least 2 points, meaning if tied 20–20, you can’t win with 21. The point system is different with shots inside the arc being worth 1 point and those outside being worth 2. Each team consists of a total of 4 players, so substitutions are still a strategic part of the game. Since it is played on a blacktop rather than in a gym, much of the equipment also differs from the regular game. Wilson has a specifically designed ball that is suitable for the different surface.
Brief History
The sport of basketball is nothing new to the Olympics, as it made its debut as a demonstration sport in 1904 at just the third modern day Summer Olympics. It would make its way to become an official sport at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and has been a mainstay since.
Basketball was originally created in 1891 by Dr. James Naismith, a Canadian physical education instructor living in Springfield, Massachusetts. While there is plenty of documented history of the development of the original 5 on 5 game, a lot less is written about the 3 on 3 format. For the longest time the game of 3 on 3 was relegated to playgrounds and schoolyards as many people enjoy a less rule intensive game with friends.
In the early 2000s, organizations like Gus Macker and Hoop It Up brought some brand recognition to the 3 on 3 game. This realization of the mass appeal it has to consumers led to larger companies like Adidas and FIBA to dive into some test events and tournaments. It wasn’t until the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore where the event experienced tremendous success, that FIBA decided to make the official league that we see today.
NBA players have voiced their support for the 3x3 format, with such notable stars like Lebron James saying “I think it’s great for basketball”, but elaborating “I’m not very good in a 3-on-3 thing. I’m more of a 5-on-5 guy. I stay out of the 1-on-1 matchups during our practice, the 2-on-2 and the 3-on-3s. So probably not. I probably won’t be a part of the 3-on-3 matchup.” While this is undoubtedly Lebron just deflecting, his voiced support during the 2018 NBA Finals was definitely a boost to the sport. Now with players behind the up and coming game format, it will be the fans turn to back up their teams come Tokyo 2020.
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