Get to know the 4 athletes on the Team USA 3×3 women’s basketball roster.
The Paris Olympics are finally here, and among the many stars competing for the U.S. over the next couple of weeks is a stacked Team USA 3×3 women’s basketball roster, which includes WNBA stars Rhyne Howard and Dearica Hamby.
Women’s 3×3 basketball was first featured as an Olympic sport at the 2021 Tokyo Games, where the U.S. — with a roster that included WNBA players Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Allisha Gray and Stefanie Dolson — walked away a gold-medal winner.
During this year’s competition, there are several pool rounds of games (July 30 to August 3) before teams will play in the semifinal and medal games on August 5. The eight teams on the women’s side are the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, Spain, Azerbaijan, France and China.
Let’s get into it and take a look at the roster:
Cierra Burdick
Basket Landes forward Cierra Burdick dribbles a ball against Villeneuve d’Ascq during a 2024 EuroLeague Women game. (Photo by FIBA Basketball)
Position: Forward
WNBA Team: Previously spent time on various WNBA teams
College: Tennessee
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Dearica Hamby
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 19: Dearica Hamby #5 of the USA Women’s 3×3 team goes for the ball past Mikaylah Williams #12 of the U23 3×3 team during the 3×3 showcase in the Skills Challenge & 3-Point Contest ahead of the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game at Footprint Center on July 19, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Position: Forward
WNBA Team: Los Angeles Sparks
College: Wake Forest
Hometown: Marietta, GA
Rhyne Howard
Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard poses in Team USA uniform. (Photo by FIBA Basketball)
Position: Guard
WNBA Team: Atlanta Dream
College: Kentucky
Hometown: Cleveland, TN
Hailey Van Lith
PHOENIX, ARIZONA – JULY 19: Hailey Van Lith #9 of the USA Women’s 3×3 team drives against Morgan Maly #13 of the U23 National 3×3 team during the 3×3 showcase in the Skills Challenge & 3-Point Contest ahead of the 2024 WNBA All-Star Game at Footprint Center on July 19, 2024 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Here’s what you need to know about women’s 3×3 basketball at the Olympics.
During this year’s 2024 Paris Olympics, you may notice a different kind of basketball: a three-on-three (3×3) version that is only played on half a court. YES. HALF A COURT.
In 2017, after the sport found success in the youth Olympic games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that 3×3 basketball would begin at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. It’s back again for this year’s Olympics in Paris, and you’ll want to pay attention to how everything works.
Although many of the rules are the same, there are some tweaks that will turn heads. It’s different from the typical five-on-five full-court version that we generally know as basketball.
Here are the rules to know about women’s 3×3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics:
What’s the Olympic history of 3×3 women’s basketball?
Jul 28, 2021; Tokyo, Japan; USA player Allisha Gray (15) drives on France player Ana Maria Filip (11) in the semifinal game during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer Games at Aomi Urban Sports Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Nelles-USA TODAY Sports
This version of basketball originally appeared at the 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games. It then made it to the 2014 Nanjing Youth Olympic Games and the 2018 Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games. The matches drew very huge crowds prompting the IOC to react.
In 2017, (IOC) announced that 3×3 basketball would begin at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
What are the 3×3 basketball basics?
Much like the 5×5 version, the basic basketball rules are the same regarding dribbling, passing, traveling, etc. The goal is to put the ball into the hoop and score more than your opponent.
Each game begins with a coin toss. The winner of the toss chooses whether to begin the game on offense or defense.
Who’s on the women’s 3×3 basketball roster?
Three players per side actively play on the court at all times. However, each side only gets ONE sub from its bench.
In total, the roster has four athletes.
What’s the 3×3 basketball court size?
A 3×3 game is played on a half-court — measuring 11m by 15m — with a hoop on one end and an end line on the other.
An arc divides the court into two parts. The area inside the arc is called the one-point zone, and the area outside the arc is the two-point zone. Like a typical basketball court, the 3×3 court also includes an area for free throws.
What’s the size of a 3×3 basketball?
The ball used in a 3×3 basketball game is different from a typical ball.
A 3×3 basketball ball is the same weight (620g) as the official size 7 basketball (74.93 cm in diameter) used in 5×5 games but is a little smaller (72.39cm in diameter).
The smaller size facilitates better ball handling to suit the faster pace of the game.
How does 3×3 basketball scoring work?
A team can score points by making baskets or through free throws. Field goals are broken down into two categories:
One-point shot — Any basket scored inside the arc or in the one-point zone is worth one point.
Two-point shot —Any basket scored from an area outside the arc or inside the two-point zone is worth two points.
A game is played within one 10-minute period. The first team to score 21 points wins. If neither team reaches 21 points, the team with the highest amount of points at the end of the 10-minute period wins the matchup.
If the game is tied at the end of regulation, teams will play a brief overtime period. The side that started the game on defense gets the first possession. Whichever team is the first to score two points in overtime wins the game.
How long is the 3×3 basketball shot clock?
In 3×3 basketball, the shot clock is very short. There are only just 12 seconds — half of the 24 seconds allowed in regular basketball — to score.
How does the Olympic format work?
There are several pool rounds of games (July 30 to August 3) before teams will play in the semifinal and medal games on August 5.
The eight teams on the women’s side are the United States, Germany, Australia, Canada, Spain, Azerbaijan, France and China.
