Drive Thru: The Unique Bond of 3×3 Basketball

Hey half-court hoop fans,

Welcome to the latest edition of The Drive! This is your inside pass to the world of 3×3, where we bring you behind-the-scenes access, game updates, and all the latest news straight from the court. Today, in our first Drive Thru edition, we jump into a question we've received from many of you: Why practice or scrimmage against competing teams during the season?

First and foremost, let's acknowledge the unique competitive experience that FIBA 3x3 offers. Unlike traditional team sports where you have distinct home and away teams, 3x3 throws that playbook out the window. At Pro Circuit events (Challengers and World Tours), it's not uncommon to find just one home team amidst 11 road teams, often representing different countries and continents. Event organizers go the extra mile for visitors, providing transportation, accommodations, and meals. This leads to an interesting dynamic where all teams are practically living in each other's pockets, from sharing meals to awkward elevator rides after intense games. Trust us, we've seen our fair share of tense dinners and elevator standoffs.

But here's the twist: this forced proximity can also serve as an icebreaker, creating a unique environment where you get to know your opponents quickly. It's a crash course in different cultures and countries that you wouldn't typically encounter in your regular competitive setting. Let’s go back to our first Pro Circuit event in 2018, the GoYang Challenger in South Korea, to illustrate this point.

1. The Edge: At that time, we had a lot to prove and a chip on our shoulders. We were determined to keep our distance from other teams to maintain our competitive edge. We'd be in the elevator, headphones on, avoiding any eye contact, and even on the bus to the venue, we'd be in our own world. But then, there was this young Latvian player, Karlis Lasmanis, who just wouldn't stop talking and cracking jokes while we warmed up. It was hard not to like the guy, and his persistence broke the ice. Small interactions like these, combined with fierce competition, tough wins, and hard losses, fostered mutual respect.

2. Camaraderie: At the same event, after the games, the hosts organized a dinner and drinks gathering with all the teams. Now, you can imagine what happens when a few adult beverages are involved – suddenly, everyone becomes best buddies. Rivals turn into friends, and before you know it, you're trying to learn how to curse in different languages. These experiences have forged a sense of camaraderie among the teams.

Of course, there are still teams we aren't too fond of, and rivalries are very much alive and kicking. But we wanted to highlight how the circumstances in 3x3 create a different competitive environment. We all respect the unique challenges that 3x3 basketball presents to individuals and teams alike.

Speaking of challenges, let's address a couple of the hurdles that 3x3 teams face:

1. Limited Practice Players: With only six players on a roster, it's tough to scrimmage effectively as a solo team. Substitutions and fatigue are integral to the game, so scrimmages without subs don't adequately prepare you for games. Moreover, not just any hooper can step into a 3x3 practice and understand the intricacies of the rules. Multi-team practices create game-like situations that are hard to replicate otherwise.

2. The Travel Schedule: FIBA 3x3's hectic travel schedule often makes it impractical to fly back home between events. For instance, we recently played in Pont du Gard (France) and Constanta (Romania) on back-to-back weekends. Instead of subjecting our bodies to the chaos of jet lag and constant travel, it made more sense for our team to stay in Europe. This is a scenario many teams face, whether they're European squads with back-to-back events in Asia or the Americas. In any sport, teams must have access to gyms between events to stay sharp. Thanks to the mutual respect and camaraderie that have developed over the years, teams and federations often go out of their way to provide traveling 3x3 teams with court access.

So there you have it, folks, the inside scoop on why competitive 3x3 practices and scrimmages are essential in this unique and fast-paced basketball universe. It's more than just drills and strategy; it's about building connections, breaking the ice, and preparing for the unpredictable world of 3x3 basketball.

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Thanks for reading!

- Drive3×3 Team