3×3 basketball returns to the Summer Olympics after a successful Olympic debut for the sport in 2021. Eight countries will be competing in 2024, headlined by the United States, who won gold in Tokyo in 2021, and China, who are currently ranked as the No. 1 3×3 team in the world according to FIBA.
The tournament will be held from July 30 through August 5 and will showcase some of the best basketball talent in the world in the unique 3×3 format. There are a few notable differences in 3×3 basketball compared to the traditional 5×5 format that most fans are used to, such as baskets being worth one or two points instead of two or three points and the game being limited to one hoop in a halfcourt setting. The games, which are only 10 minutes long, are fast-paced and emphasize synergy and quick decision-making by the players; because 3×3 basketball games are much shorter than traditional 5×5 games, it’s common to see a 3×3 team play several games in one day, and the Paris Olympics will be no exception.
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In the first five days of the competition, each team will play one another in a round-robin format, referred to as the “pool round.” Beginning on August 3, the tournament portion begins: the teams will be ranked by their record in pool play, with the No. 1 and No. 2 teams being placed in the tournament semifinals and the No. 7 and No. 8 teams being eliminated. Teams Nos. 3-6 will face each other in the “play-in” (quarterfinals) for the right to advance.
Finally, on August 5, the two semifinal games will determine which teams will play for a bronze medal and which will play for gold. The bronze and gold medal games will be played later that day.
The Competing Teams
Eight countries will be competing in the 3×3 basketball tournament at the Paris Olympics. The teams are seeded according to their respective spots in the FIBA 3×3 Federation Ranking, which is calculated over time based on those countries’ individual player rankings from other 3×3 events. Generally speaking, the more 3×3 events a player participates in, the more points they will accumulate.
China (No. 1 seed)
Roster: Mingling Chen, Ji Yuan Wan, Lili Wang, ZhiTing Zhang
China enters the Paris Olympics as the most prolific 3×3 team in the world and the only country exceeding two million ranking points, earning a trip to Paris by virtue of being FIBA’s top-ranked team. Three of China’s four players (Wan, Wang and Zhang) also competed in Tokyo in 2021, where they won a bronze medal, so it’s safe to say that they have the necessary experience as a group.
United States (No. 2 seed)
Roster: Rhyne Howard, Dearica Hamby, Cierra Burdick, Hailey Van Lith
The United States certainly made a good first impression by winning the inaugural Olympic 3×3 tournament in Tokyo, and they’ll defend their title with an all-new team in 2024. Burdick and Van Lith are 3×3 veterans, having led the United States to a 3×3 World Cup championship last year, and though the last-minute substitution of Hamby for Cameron Brink (torn ACL) has left this specific group without much time to establish chemistry, its level of individual talent will be enough keep it competitive.
France (No. 3 seed)
Roster: Myriam Djekoundade, Laetitia Guapo, Hortense Limouzin, Marie-Eve Paget
As the host country for the 2024 Olympics, France automatically qualifies for the 3×3 tournament, and they’ll have homecourt advantage in every game they play. France is coming off a second-place finish to the United States in the 2023 3×3 World Cup and will return every one of their players from that tournament (Guapo also competed in the 2020 Olympics) so expectations will be high for them on their own soil.
Germany (No. 4 seed)
Roster: Svenja Brunckhorst, Sonja Greinacher, Elisa Mevius, Marie Reichert
Germany was one of three countries to qualify for the Paris Olympics by way of the 3×3 Qualifying Tournament held in May, in which the Germans went a perfect 5-0. Greinacher is one of the top players in the competition, standing at 6-foot-3 and ranked at No. 5 overall by FIBA, and she was highly impressive in the qualifying tournament, proving that she can carry a team in what is usually a highly-egalitarian form of basketball.
Canada (No. 5 seed)
Roster: Kacie Bosch, Paige Crozon, Katherine Plouffe, Michelle Plouffe
There’s no duo in the 3×3 basketball scene as impressive as the Plouffe sisters, and with Crozon also in the fold, Canada has the three top-ranked players in the tournament, according to FIBA. They aren’t invincible, but their performance in May’s Qualifying Tournament was plenty good enough to earn them a spot in the Paris Olympics, and it’s going to be difficult for most other teams in Paris to compete with their size.
Spain (No. 6 seed)
Roster: Gracia Alonso De Armiño, Juana Camilion, Vega Gimeno, Sandra Ygueravide
Spain came out on top in the extremely competitive 3×3 Qualifying Tournament, and while the Spaniards may not have the star power of Germany, Canada or the United States, their performance in May showed that player and federation rankings are meaningless once the whistle blows. With recent wins at events in Poitiers and Bordeaux, Spain has plenty of momentum heading into the Paris Olympics.
Azerbaijan (No. 7 seed)
Roster: Tiffany Hayes, Alexandra Mollenhauer, Dina Ulyanova, Marcedes Walker
Azerbaijan doesn’t have the pedigree as a program that most of the other countries at the Paris Olympics do, but they qualified all the same by winning the first Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament in April. Though Azerbaijan will likely be considered an underdog in most Olympic matchups, they have one of the most dynamic players in the competition in Hayes, who can carry a team with her scoring and athleticism.
Australia (No. 8 seed)
Roster: Anneli Maley, Lauren Mansfield, Marena Whittle, Alex Wilson
It’s been somewhat difficult for Australia to earn points in the FIBA 3×3 rankings due to its distance from most 3×3 events, so their seeding in the Paris Olympics isn’t necessarily reflective of their level of talent. Australia has one of the strongest basketball programs in the world, most recently going undefeated in the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Asia Cup in March and punching their ticket for the Paris Olympics by winning the second Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament in May. Even though they’re the lowest-seeded country in this tournament, it shouldn’t be surprising to anyone if Australia medals at Paris.
