While the United States has largely dominated in basketball in the Summer Olympics, Team USA’s 3-on-3 team has not fared well. After being one of the first teams eliminated from the 3×3 basketball in the Paris Olympics, one NBA insider has a potential explanation for why the United States has struggled.
For the 2024 Paris Olympics, the United States roster consisted of Jimmer Fredette, Canyon Barry, Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis. It is the first-ever 3×3 team in men’s U.S. Olympic history. Upon arrival in Paris, the team went 2-5 and got knocked out in the pool round.
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Many basketball fans were surprised by the 3×3 roster sent to represent Team USA in the Olympics. Of the four-man team, Fredette is the only player of the four with NBA experience. One of the biggest NBA Draft busts in the last 15 years, Fredette last played double-digit NBA games in 2014.
It invites the question, why aren’t NBA players playing for Team USA in 3×3 basketball? While it stems from FIBA’s eligibility rules, senior NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN said on The Pat McAfee Show that he believes FIBA doesn’t want the United States to do well.
“FIBA doesn’t really want the USA to do good at three on three. They really want that to be for countries that can’t field five on five times. They have all these different layers and layers and layers of things you have to do to qualify…They don’t want guys from America as part of it.”
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on Team USA’s struggles in 3-on-3 basketball, not using NBA players
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While FIBA does allow NBA players to compete in 3×3 basketball, they must meet specific requirements. FIBA states that a four-man roster must have two players ranked within the top 10 of their country or the top 50 players who participate in the FIBA 3×3 World Tour.
The problem with that is the FIBA World Tour in 2023 occurred from May through November, when aNBA layers are either competing in the playoffs or resting after a lengthy season. Because of FIBA’s requirements, there’s no viable path for NBA stars to represent Team USA in 3×3 basketball in the Summer Olympics without said player making significant sacrifices during the offseason.
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With no real financial incentive to do it and the United States’ best players primarily focused on representing the country in the standard basketball tournament, Team USA has to settle for players who largely aren’t talented enough for the NBA. As a result, barring changes to the rules or interest in 3×3 basketball, the United States won’t be winning a medal anytime soon.