FIBA's 3-on-3 Proposal

[Amonkey]

I saw this on yahoo yesterday and thought it was pretty interesting. Would like to have your take on this idea.

http://www.thepostgame.com/blog/dish/201208/fiba-pushing-3-3-basketball-2016-olympics

Basketball's increasingly global reach was showcased once again at the London Olympic Games, with perhaps the deepest international field ever produced.

But FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, still sees room for growth.

In an attempt to expand basketball's worldwide popularity, FIBA is making a significant push for 3-on-3 basketball, which is commonly played at parks, playgrounds and schoolyards across the country.

The group, which already sponsors a 3-on-3 world tour and world championship, is trying to establish a world rankings system that could help the game become an Olympic sport. Perhaps as soon as the 2016 Rio Games.

"Like volleyball has beach volleyball, swimming has synchronized swimming, we want three-on-three to be part of it," FIBA Secretary-general Patrick Baumann told USA Today.

A global three-on-three structure could allow smaller countries to participate in the Olympics, and FIBA hopes that might lead to a trickle-down effect in countries that are not traditional basketball powerhouses.

The idea seems like a good one. I think if you do something without the pros, and/or make it into something more of a partner team like in beach volleyball rather than whoever is available comes play together would make things interesting. Maybe play say a game of 21, best out of 3 or something... I would say the idea does have potential.

[Who]

I like it.

[AB_Celtic]

I really like it, too. I think it would give other countries a chance to compete. Not that I don't love USA, mind you, but the reason we win so much is because we have SO MANY good players. If it was, say, Pau Gasol, Navarro, and some other guy vs. CP3, Lebron, and DH, maybe it would have been closer.

Maybe not.   

[Fafnir]

Could be a lot of fun.

[Mr Green]

Great idea!

It gives an opportunity the door to have two games on the same court at any one time. That would be a novelty for events like semi finals, while guys are playing at one end they can see what the score is on the other side of the court.

I'd score it in sets like tennis. First team to 15 points wins the set (have the deuce rule so you need to win by two). First to win 3 sets out of 5 wins the 'match'. If a team doesn't score a single point then they have to run around the court with their pants down, just like playing on the street.

Something I would like to see trialled one day is using foul shots like a penalty shoot out in soccer. That would make for some intense television; miss and you lose. Not sure how it could be implemented though.

[slamtheking]

not sold on it.  next it'll be that crap version with the trampolines.

[Rondo2287]

not sold on it.  next it'll be that crap version with the trampolines.

how dare you talk trash about slamball!

[bfrombleacher]

So would it still be 1 team per country?

[Chris]

So, basically it would be streetball?  No thanks. 

[Moranis]

It would be pretty cool, but the only way I think it would work is if they restricted countries from having the same players on the full team and the 3x3.  I mean if the goal is really to have the smaller countries participate then you can't let countries double up or only the good countries will be in the 3 on 3 tournament as well.  Sure the US has so many good players it won't matter for them, but it will for a lot of countries, like say France, Brasil, etc. where there are 8-10 elite talents and then just a bunch of ok players.  And a country like Great Britain will be a lot more competitive in 3x3 and thus might not even field a full size team. 

[Rondo2287]

I personally would like to see as many events in basketball as their are in swimming.

So the 8 length of the quart dribbling relay

3 point contest

dunk contest

one on one championships

trick shot (where judges assign a degree of difficulty and then judge based on execution)

The all arounds competition

and rythmic basketball.  Its a team competition where you play a game while simultaneously twirling a ribbon

[ronaldo943]

I personally would like to see as many events in basketball as their are in swimming.

So the 8 length of the quart dribbling relay

3 point contest

dunk contest

one on one championships

trick shot (where judges assign a degree of difficulty and then judge based on execution)

The all arounds competition

and rythmic basketball.  Its a team competition where you play a game while simultaneously twirling a ribbon

Lol rythmic basketball

[fairweatherfan]

I personally would like to see as many events in basketball as their are in swimming.

So the 8 length of the quart dribbling relay

3 point contest

dunk contest

one on one championships

trick shot (where judges assign a degree of difficulty and then judge based on execution)

The all arounds competition

and rythmic basketball.  Its a team competition where you play a game while simultaneously twirling a ribbon

This is an excellent list, but I'd like to add Olympic Knockout and Synchronized Dunking. 

Like the 3-on-3 idea though.  It's my favorite kind of pickup ball and I think it'd be really interesting in the Olympic format. 

[Rondo2287]

I personally would like to see as many events in basketball as their are in swimming.

So the 8 length of the quart dribbling relay

3 point contest

dunk contest

one on one championships

trick shot (where judges assign a degree of difficulty and then judge based on execution)

The all arounds competition

and rythmic basketball.  Its a team competition where you play a game while simultaneously twirling a ribbon

This is an excellent list, but I'd like to add Olympic Knockout and Synchronized Dunking.

Two phenomenal additions.  Also Mike Gorman has to announce every event.

[Redz]

How about an And1 like Olympic event