Sports
Speedier, Sweatier 3-on-3 Basketball Shoots for Olympic Respect
Scrappy version of the game will take the world stage in Tokyo next year.
Qualification tournament for the FIBA 3x3 World Tour at the Mall of Berlin last year.
Photographer: Annegret Hilse/dpa via AP Photo
When 3-on-3 basketball makes its Olympic debut in 2020, spectators will get a brisk 10-minute game with a hands-off approach to fouls. What they won’t see are actual basketball stars.
Despite the newfound promise of Olympic glory, 3-on-3 basketball remains a scrappy sport that’s largely played by part-timers. The U.S. men’s team, coming off a gold medal win in this year’s 3-on-3 World Cup, includes people like Kareem Maddox, who has a day job as a podcast producer at Spotify. One player shoots free throws underhanded.