FIBA is pushing to make 3-on-3 basketball an Olympic sport, and they’re hoping it can become reality by the 2016 Summer Games in Rio.
FIBA secretary general Patrick Baumann told USA Today that they are planning to propose making 3-on-3 hoops an Olympic sport by 2016. Baumann envisions 3-on-3 basketball being a subsection of the sport like synchronized swimming is to swimming and beach volleyball is with volleyball. FIBA’s also planning to create a world ranking system to determine the best teams in the world.
The idea is that a 3-on-3 tournament would give more countries an opportunity to participate in basketball. Baumann says more countries regularly send teams to compete in the 3-on-3 world championships, so he would expect that to be the case for the Olympics.
It seems odd to think of 3-on-3 basketball being in the Olympics when 5-on-5 is the real team sport, but we see it so often in parks and on the playground, it really wouldn’t be too odd. And certainly, it wouldn’t be any stranger than seeing trampoline, synchronized swimming, or table tennis in the Games. This might actually create an alternative plan for talented athletes who couldn’t thrive in a 5-on-5 team environment. This will be perfect for cats like Sidney and Bobby.
H/T The Dish
