Let us start with why
We have been passionate about 3x3 basketball since 2017. That's when we founded 3x3basket.pl, to this day the largest and oldest webpage dedicated to 3x3 in Poland, still operating and growing. We have always been passionate about basketball , but after we discovered 3x3, we found that this is exactly what we have been looking for all life. Since then, we have become evangelists and carry the following slogan into the world. This newsletter is the next step and our way out into the world. Welcome to the community and find out why 3x3 is bigger than 5x5.
Of course, we'll be writing in a 3x3 format: Three highlights from the streetball universe in general, three from the world of pro tour players and three for fans of national teams. That, at least, is the initial plan.
Interesting facts about 3x3 basketball
We either win or learn something, as MJ once said. And the best way to learn are: reading, practice and mentoring. Let’s go together through valuable content, places to hoop and people doing 3x3 well.
Basics of 3x3 basketball
The passionate history, the rules of the game, and a description of the bumpy road from the streets to the Olympics can be found in Luka Snoja's book “3×3 Basketball. Everything you need to know.” The author of this publication is a Slovenian, who has played on 3×3 courts all over the world. Trained as a lawyer, he is currently a 3×3 basketball coach, TV commentator and analyst, and a fan of analyzing match statistics.
The book is written in English, 225 pages long. The publisher, Meyer & Meyer Sport, is a sports publishing house with more than a century of tradition.
It is definitely a complete, cross-sectional description of 3×3 basketball, which was long awaited. Even people who have been sitting on the subject for years will find things in the book that they probably didn't realize. The book presents where 3×3 came from, how it has evolved over the years and how it differs from 5×5 basketball. You will find a description of tactical solutions that you probably instinctively try to implement in your game, as well as ideas for new approaches to playing matches. There are also, of course, the rules of the game and the game system, as well as a very interesting analysis of statistics. It also features the most recognizable figures of the world's 3×3, including an interview with Dusan Bulut. Highly recommended!
3x3 basketball communities around the world
RISE 3x3 Basketball is one of the projects that inspired us to create this newsletter. Created and developed in the UK by Martin Dyan, it continues to grow, creating not only a league, but, more importantly, a community. They also have their own newsletter and podcast. Be sure to visit their site, we highly recommend it and send our regards!
BIG3
We have followed the professional 3x3 league in the US since its creation. They, too, have no trouble gaining popularity - the best ( someday) players on the planet playing half court basket - who wouldn't be interested? Recent news includes the reorganization of the league, the assignment of teams to cities, and big transfers Dwight Howard and Kemba Walker. Remember that Europeans, including Dusan Bulut and Karlis Lasmanis, have also played successfully in the league.
FIBA 3x3 World Tour
Time to get pro in our writing… This year is going to be special, like all before. Let’s go through past, present and future, together.
Week summary
We are just after one Challenger (Baoding) and two Quests (Ulaanbaatar and Lausanne), all played April 12-13. The winners are, respectively:
Shinagawa (JPN)
Ulaanbataar (MGL)
Hangzhou (CHN)
Beside the winners, Liman (SRB) and Miami (USA) also qualified and we will see them in Marseille Masters (May 24-25), while Bayankhairkhan (MGL) saved the spot in Chengdu (May 3-4). Lausanne and Ub will play in Amsterdam (May 17-18). Which leads us to the first and only…
#3x3PowerRanking
TOP10 teams in the world, in our opinion.
Format: position, team, position change, current FIBA3x3 ranking, reason.
Obviously, this is the first edition, so no +/- changes until next one.
UB, -, 1, won Champions Cup
Amsterdam, -, 4, Olympic Champs
Liman, -, 8, always contenders
Toulouse, -, 2, they have everything
Miami, -, 3, best team to watch
Lausanne, -, 11, offseason winners, added Zamojski and Niang
Vienna, -, 5, no changes, staying strong
Raudondvaris, -, 6, best chemistry and coach
Riffa, -, 7, will old trick still work?
Ulaanbaatar, -, 12, consistency + fresh blood = will miss Steve Sir!
Predictions
Predicting is hard, especially to the future, but at the same time it is so much fun. So let’s try to predict FIBA3x3 World Tour Season 2025 Opener in Utsonomiya. Please do not blame us in case our bets goes bad.
Easy ones: Serbian team will advance from Pool A. Also, Serbian team will quit the tournament at this stage. Also, Japanese team will qualify to the main tournement.
Now, seriously, the difficult stuff: we put our money on Toulouse or Amsterdam playing in the final game. Most probably against UB or Liman. This way we are 100% consistent with the power ranking above.
Biggest unknown: London’s team debut in World Tour - they can surprise anyone, both in negative and positive way. Game against Toulouse will be tough for them.
3x3 basketball national teams
FIBA is best in mixing teams, cities and national teams using the craziest rules, rankings and configurations, but what matters at the end is whether your country wins or looses, do you agree? National perspective is important, especially for the not-totally-crazy-3x3-like-us fans.
FIBA 3x3 Champions Cup tournament
We have a new event on the basketball map of the world, a must-book on the calendars of 3×3 fans. With a powerful sponsor - the official name is RedBull Champions Cup! The historic debut took place in Bangkok (Thailand), March 14-16. The best 8 men's and 8 women's teams - Continental champions, Olympic champions, FIBA 3×3 ranking leaders and hosts- competed to win the Champions Cup for the first time. Go through the entire FIBA3x3 Champions Cup playlist on YouTube to see how it went.
Asia Cup 2025
Kangaroos win Asia Cup. Again. The ladies for the third time in a row, the men for the second time (and the third time in the last four years). Congratulations!
Players to follow
Ashley Hamilton game in Japan, during the nearest weekend, but also his team - London - story.
Alex Higgins-Titsha…
…and his colleagues from Australia. If you ever wanted to create the perfect 3×3 basketball player, you'd have to ask Mr. Stith and Ms. Wilson to become a couple. Well-deserved Asia Cup MVP titles for both of them. We want more!