Basketball has a rich history that dates back to its inception in 1891, when James Naismith first introduced the game inside a gymnasium in Springfield, Massachusetts. Since then, the sport has evolved into a global phenomenon, making its inaugural appearance at the Berlin Summer Games in 1936. Forty years later, women’s basketball made its much-anticipated debut at the Montreal Summer Olympics. With the upcoming second consecutive appearance of 3×3 basketball at the Olympic stage, it is evident that the sport’s popularity is flourishing on a global scale.
The 2024 Summer Olympics will feature both 5-on-5 and 3×3 basketball competitions. The 5-on-5 contests are scheduled to take place from July 27 to August 11, with the finals set for August 10 for the men’s team and August 11 for the women’s team. In contrast, the 3×3 competition will run from July 30 to August 5, with the medal games slated for August 5.
Preliminary games for the 5-on-5 basketball will be hosted at the Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille, France, with the finals taking place at the Accor Arena in Paris. Meanwhile, the 3×3 competition will be held at the Place de la Concorde, an urban, open-air arena in Paris.
The 5-on-5 basketball competitions will follow a group phase, followed by a knockout stage, with a total of 12 teams split into three groups. Conversely, the 3×3 format will see all eight teams compete against each other during pool play, with the teams then being ranked based on their records.
The group phase operates as follows: in 5-on-5 basketball, each team will play the other three teams in its group, with wins, losses, and tiebreakers determining the teams that advance to the knockout stage. In 3×3, the first team to score 21 points emerges victorious. If neither team reaches 21 points, the team with more points at the end of 10 minutes of play clinches the win.
The knockout stage for 5-on-5 basketball involves single-elimination, with the top two teams progressing to the semifinals and eventually competing for gold and bronze medals. For 3×3, the top two teams advance to the semifinals, while the other four teams will compete in a play-in round, with the winners advancing to the semifinals.
The on-court disparities between the two formats are also evident. In 5-on-5 basketball, the game is played on a full court, while 3×3 basketball takes place on a half court. Additionally, the ball used in 3×3 is slightly smaller in diameter than the one used in 5-on-5. Furthermore, the 3×3 ball has the same weight as the one used in 5-on-5 international competitions, which is 620 grams.
The rosters for Team USA basketball are also finalized, with notable players such as Kevin Durant and A’ja Wilson set to represent the nation in the 5-on-5 games, while Kareem Maddox and Kelsey Plum, among others, will feature in the 3×3 games.
Following the conclusion of the last Summer Olympics, the U.S. men’s national team secured their fourth consecutive Olympic gold medal, while the U.S. women’s team claimed their seventh straight Olympic gold. In the 3×3 format, Latvia secured gold for the men, while the U.S. women captured gold in the event’s Olympic debut.
Are you anticipating the upcoming basketball tournaments at the 2024 Paris Olympics? Stay updated with the latest news and developments by visiting the ESPN Olympics hub page for comprehensive features, previews, and much more.