The Olympic Games are debuting a new event: Men's and Women's 3x3 Basketball. The event which consists of three players on the court and one alternative will be played officially at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics for the first time.
“USA Basketball is very proud to announce the first U.S. Olympic 3x3 Basketball Team,” said Jim Tooley, USA Basketball CEO perUSA Basketball. “These four players not only are outstanding athletes, but they will be excellent representatives for our country in this new Olympic discipline."
Now, how is this game played? The rules for this new game per USA Basketball are as follows:
"3x3 is played on a half-court with a 12-second shot clock and a 10-minute game clock. Shots inside the arc are worth one point, and baskets outside the arc are worth two points. The winner is the first team to 21 points or the team in the lead at the end of regulation. In case of a tied score at the end of regulation, the winner is the first team to score two points in overtime."
Each team consists of four players, three on the court and one substitute per team. No coaches are allowed during games.
The preliminary round for the 3x3 games will be played through July 24-27. The quarterfinals are on July 27, and the semifinals and finals will be played on July 28.
Meet the official members of the USA Men's and Women's Basketball 3x3 Team:
Autumn Hawkins is the National Hip-Hop and R&B writer for Beasley Media, currently residing in New Jersey. Prior to working at Beasley Media, she was in broadcast news as an entertainment producer. When she's not impatiently waiting for Beyoncé to drop new music, she is reading, shopping, or planning a vacation.