Team USA has qualified both a men's and women's team for the Olympic 3x3 Basketball for the 2024 games in Paris. FIBA announced the first three men's teams and the first two women's teams to qualify on Wednesday. The selection was based on the current FIBA World Ranking. In the men's event, #1 Serbia and #3 China also qualified. Meanwhile, #1 China and hosts France qualified alongside Team USA.
The men's team missed out on qualifying for the 2020 Games in Tokyo, the first Games to feature 3x3 basketball. However, a silver medal at the World Cup earlier this year and a gold medal at the Pan American Games last month helped secure qualification. "Making it to the Olympics, that's what it's been all about for us. It means a ton. The opportunity to be able to represent our country at the Olympics would be an amazing experience. I've been fortunate enough to represent our country a few times, but the Olympics is a whole different level," said former NBA guard and longtime 3x3 player Jimmer Fredette. The women's team are the defending Olympic champions and also won Pan Am gold last month.
Read More:
Who Has Qualified For Olympic 3x3 Basketball?
There are still five men's places and four women's places available for the 3x3 basketball event at Paris 2024. These places will be determined between now and the Games next July. Two places in each event will be determined by the Universality-Driven Qualifying Tournaments. These special tournaments are designed to allow teams who wouldn't usually be given a chance due to their rating to compete. For example, one of the women's tournaments will feature Mongolia.
Meanwhile, the remaining places will be decided in a more standard Olympic qualifying tournament. The participants in these events will taken from the FIBA World Rankings and will fill out the remaining places in both tournaments. "USA Basketball is extremely proud to qualify four basketball teams for Paris 2024," "We look forward to watching all teams compete at the highest level with the goal of winning four Olympic gold medals," USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said in a statement of the US' 3x3 qualification. The US already has teams qualified for both 5x5 events.
Read More: South Sudan Earns Olympic Basketball Berth
[via]
