GB basketball should embrace 3×3

3×3 basketball is being played all over the planet by kids and adults alike. Players are just picking-up a ball and finding a court with no refs, table officials or a scoreboard. No requirement to register players or teams with a league. No need to buy expensive team uniforms. And the best thing of all is no coach telling you what to do!

All of these millions of players around the world have not gone unnoticed by FIBA, basketball’s world governing body. And since 2010 they have been steadily building a network of events and tournaments to allow 3×3 players to showcase their skills at a local, national and international level.

Now there is a stage for 3×3 players to compete and win titles, trophies and prize money. A major event this month is the 3×3 World Cup in Nantes, France and 3x3ballers will be there to cover it.

A big milestone will be realised if, as is anticipated, 3×3 basketball is added to the Olympic schedule in Tokyo 2020. If that does happen it will be a game changer for this version of the sport, as it will then be possible to win Olympic medals.

Look at the way rugby 7’s and beach volleyball have boosted interest in their respective sports at the Olympic Games. Both events were extremely popular. And this is why 3x3ballers can see a big future for 3×3 in the UK.

Realistically GB men’s and women’s 5v5 basketball teams are unlikely to reach the Olympic medal podium anytime soon. For a programme that is relatively new and definitely underfunded, it is caught in catch-22 situation: to be more successful internationally it requires more funding but to get that funding it has to be more internationally successful. In this environment, it is difficult to see how either team will be able to qualify for the Olympics in the foreseeable future. London 2012 was a one-off as we were given a berth as the home nation.

But the qualifying system for Olympic 3×3 is probably going to be similar to the way teams make it into other major 3×3 FIBA competitions. This is based on individual player rankings that are built-up competing in various 3×3 tournaments around the world.  As the ranking points are assigned to players and not teams, points can be built up playing with different team-mates.

The national governing body is also ranked according to the number of active players from that country playing in the various tournaments. So it is important to get as many players as possible taking part in eligible tournaments.

There is a huge opportunity here for GB basketball. By encouraging British players to take part in tournaments, it can push itself up the 3×3 rankings. And the great additional benefit is basketball regular participation numbers will increase which is a major metric in deciding how much money the funding bodies’ award basketball.

Wake-up GB basketball and embrace 3×3! A way to increase participation, raise the profile and attract more sponsors and funding to basketball in this country. What are they waiting for?