USA Today reports that FIBA is trying to establish a 3-on-3 basketball tournament for the Summer Games and it could enter the field of play as early as 2016.
Secretary-general Patrick Baumann said Saturday that his group planned to propose it to be played as early as the 2016 Rio Games.
Three-on-three, the game played in driveways, on playgrounds and around the country during the annual Gus Macker tournaments, debuted in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. FIBA wants to create a comprehensive ranking system that would determine the best three-on-three teams in the world. FIBA already has a three-on-three world tour and world championship, but Baumann welcomed all three-on-three tournaments, such as Gus Macker and Hoop It Up, into the fold as long as those tournaments adhered to FIBA rules, including the registration of players in a database to chart wins and losses.
“Like volleyball has beach volleyball, swimming has synchronized swimming, we want three-on-three to be part of it,” Baumann said.
The USA will surely be the favorite if such a thing was to be established in the Summer Games. The Americans have the most talented players in the world and that was on showcase in London. A 3-on-3 team would most likely have to consist of a center, forward and guard, but the rules are obviously not established yet.
However, if players like LeBron James and Chris Paul were brought into this tournament, that would leave a large hole in the other 12-man roster. So Lakers Nation, if the 3-on-3 is brought to the Olympics, whom should the USA send to represent the country?