The USA Basketball men’s 3×3 team discusses what they expect going into pool play at the Paris Olympics and discuss the frustrations of not making the Olympics in 2020.
The 5-on-5 tournaments are underway, but basketball is just getting started at the Paris Olympics.
On Tuesday, 3x3 basketball makes its return after a scintillating debut in Tokyo — and both the U.S. men's and women's teams enter with legitimate hopes of bringing home the gold.
Here's are the key storylines before the competition gets going Tuesday.
U.S. women seek another gold
None of the four players who won gold in Tokyo return. The biggest names in the WNBA are competing in 5-on-5 in Paris. Caitlin Clark was ineligible for selection, and Cameron Brink is sidelined with a torn ACL. And yet, despite all that, Team USA enters Paris as clear favorites, boasting a roster that blends top-tier talent with plenty of international 3x3 experience.
Dearica Hamby is having a career year for the Los Angeles Sparks. Rhyne Howard was the first overall pick of the Atlanta Dream just two years ago after a dominant collegiate career at Kentucky. Cierra Burdick has played for seven teams over five WNBA seasons and has over a decade of 3x3 experience, including FIBA World Cup golds in 2014 and 2023. The one member without pro experience, Hailey Van Lith, has earned two first-team all-ACC nods in college and lead the U.S. team in scoring at last year's World Cup.
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Size, shooting, passing and experience. You name it, and this squad has it. Australia, China and France figure to be tough outs, but after dropping just one game in pool play in Tokyo, the path to women's gold will once again go through the U.S.
U.S. men seek redemption
For the American men, meanwhile, the past few years have been something of a redemption tour.
The U.S. projected as medal contenders in 2020, but a shocking loss in Olympic qualifying kept them out of Tokyo entirely.
In the wake of that disappointment, veterans Kareem Maddox and Canyon Barry were joined by newcomers Jimmer Fredette and Dylan Travis, and the arrow has been pointing straight since. Known as Team Miami on the FIBA World Tour circuit, this quartet has racked up some impressive pre-Paris results, from wins at the FIBA AmeriCup and Pan American Games to a silver medal at last year's World Cup. The U.S. now sits at No. 2 in the world rankings, and is finally developing some cohesion after a whirlwind 18 months.
"I'd say it took us six to eight months to really gel together where all of a sudden, we were clicking on all cylinders and felt like we were an actual unit and knew exactly what every player was going to do on the court," Fredette said.
That sort of chemistry is even more crucial in 3x3 and should serve the U.S. well at these games. Will it lead to gold? The first game of pool play, against world No. 1 and reigning World Cup champion Serbia on Tuesday, will tell us a lot.
Remember Jimmer?
Yes, that Jimmer Fredette. More than a decade after taking the basketball world by storm at BYU, Fredette's basketball journey has led him to the Olympic Games.
"When I heard 'Olympics,' I was I was like, 'Yeah, done, let's do it,'" Fredette recalled. "That's something that you dream about as a kid. I never thought I'd have an opportunity to play in the Olympics."
A lot has changed since Fredette's college days, the handle and lightning-quick release that made him a phenomenon still remain, and he has a chance to be among the breakout stars of Paris if he can help lead the U.S. to gold.
Venues
As part of the Paris Games' effort to hold as many events as possible in non-traditional stadiums — embedded within the city itself rather than at a remove — the 3x3 basketball competitions will take place at the iconic Place de la Concorde.
The largest square in Paris, connecting the Champs-Élysées to the Tuileries Gardens, the Place de La Concorde will host skateboarding, BMX freestyle and breaking in addition to 3x3 basketball, providing a fitting backdrop for a sport that has its origins in street ball.
When does 3x3 basketball start and end at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
3x3 basketball will start on Tuesday July, 30, and conclude on Monday, Aug. 5. There will be live coverage of 3x3 basketball on the following dates:
- Women's tournament: Tuesday, July 30 to Monday, Aug. 5
- Men's tournament: Tuesday, July 30 to Monday, Aug. 5
How do I stream 3x3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
The complete 3x3 basketball schedule, including TV listings, is also available on the NBCOlympics.com schedule page.
All live streams are also available to watch on mobile, tablet and connected TV devices via the Peacock, NBC and NBC Olympics apps.
| DATE/TIME | EVENT | STREAM |
|---|---|---|
| Tues, 7/30 11:30a-1:30p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Tues, 7/30 3:00-5:00p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Weds, 7/31 11:30a-1:30p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Weds, 7/31 3:00-5:00p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Thurs, 8/1 3:00-5:00a |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Thurs, 8/1 6:30-8:30a |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Thurs, 8/1 12:00-2:00p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Thurs, 8/1 3:30-5:30p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Fri, 8/2 3:00-5:00a |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Fri, 8/2 6:30-8:30a |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Fri, 8/2 11:30a-1:30p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Fri, 8/2 3:00-5:00p |
Men's & Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Sat, 8/3 11:30a-1:30p |
Women's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Sat, 8/3 3:30-4:30p |
Women's Play-In Round (2 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Sun, 8/4 11:30a-1:30p |
Men's Pool Play (4 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Sun, 8/4 3:30-4:30p |
Men's Play-In Round (2 Games) | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Mon, 8/5 11:30a-1:30p |
Men's & Women's Semifinals | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
| Mon, 8/5 3:00-5:30p |
Men's & Women's Bronze/Gold Finals 🏅 | Peacock, NBCOlympics.com |
You can watch every event at the 2024 Paris Olympics live by subscribing to Peacock. After subscribing and logging in, either go to PeacockTV.com/Olympics in your web browser or download the Peacock app to your phone, tablet, or connected TV device and navigate to the Olympics section.
