3×3 Basketball has taken off in a major way in recent years. Ice Cube currently runs The Big3, a 3×3 league stacked with former NBA talent. Meanwhile, the event made its Olympic debut at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, with Latvia and the USA taking the men’s and women’s gold medals respectively. The event will return for the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France.
However, the 3×3 World Cup has taken place on a variety of schedules since 2012. Originally every two years, it became an annual event in 2016 until it was canceled due to the pandemic in 2020. The 2023 event is the second edition of the event to held after it was reinstated for 2022. Vienna, Austria will play host to this year’s events. Serbia, a five-time champion, enters as the defending men’s champions. Meanwhile, France enter as the women’s champions, having won their first title in 2022. It’s the sixth time the event has been held in Europe. The 2022 edition was held in Antwerp, Belgium.
Team USA Announces World Cup Rosters
Headed your way
Vienna @FIBA3x3
Introducing the 2023 USA Men’s 3×3 World Cup Team
— USA Basketball 3×3 (@usab3x3) May 18, 2023
The United States has become the first of the 20 participating nations to announce their eight-person roster for the World Cup. Each team has four members. On the men’s team, there is Canyon Barry, a former G-League player and son of Hall of Famer Rick Barry. Joining Barry is Jimmer Fredette, a former NBA journeyman who most recently played in China. Also on the roster is Kareem Maddox, a former Princeton standout, overseas player, and NPR producer. Completing the team is Dylan Travis, a 3×3 expert who won gold at the 3×3 AmeriCup in 2022. Team USA won the men’s event in 2019.
Here. We. Go.
Introducing the 2023 USA Women’s 3×3 World Cup Team!
— USA Basketball 3×3 (@usab3x3) May 18, 2023
Meanwhile, the US women’s team is anchored by college stars. The biggest name to casual fans will be Hailey Van Lith, the Lousiville standout who recently transferred to LSU. However, there is also Cameron Brink, who currently serves as the defensive lynchpin at Stanford. Then there’s Cierra Burdick, a WNBA journeywoman who played 56 games over 6 years between 2015 and 2021. Burdick currently plays in Spain. Finally, there’s Linnae Harper, who has made 25 WNBA appearances since going undrafted in 2018. Team USA are two-time champions in the women’s event, taking home the gold in 2012 and 2014.
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