PARIS, France – Former BYU men’s basketball star Jimmer Fredette will lead the United States 3x3 men’s basketball team at the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
An Olympic debut years in the making 🇺🇸@jimmerfredette x #3x3MNT pic.twitter.com/YmBVDpmLSI
— USA Basketball 3x3 (@usab3x3) July 16, 2024
"I love the Olympics. Growing up, I used to watch every sport," Fredette said in a press conference prior to the Opening Ceremony. "My family would get mad at me because I would literally have it on 24-7, watching everything. I just never thought I would have a chance to play in it. And then, obviously, when this opportunity came up, I just was thrilled to have the opportunity to try to make it. And now that it's a reality, it's obviously a dream come true."
3x3’s second Olympic appearance will feature eight countries with each team playing one another in pool play. The top two teams advance directly to the semi-finals, while the bottom two teams will be eliminated. The remaining four teams will compete in a play-in round with the winners advancing to the semi-finals.
Fredette along with teammates Canyon Barry, Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis helped the Americans clinch their first Olympic berth on Nov. 1, 2023 by virture of second place standing in FIBA's 3x3 Federation Ranking System. The top three teams on the ranking list automatically qualified for the Olymipics, avoiding the qualifying tournament that took place earlier this year.
The quartet opens Olympic play on Tuesday, July 30, in a rematch of the 2023 FIBA World Cup final against Serbia. The matchup, scheduled for 2:35 p.m. MT, will also be a battle between the top two 3x3 men’s players in the world in Fredette and Strahinja Stojacic.
Following a matchup against Poland on July 31 at 2:35 p.m. MT, the US team will have its first of two doubleheaders of the Olympiad on Aug. 1, facing Lithuania (11:05 a.m.) and defending Olympic Champions Latvia (3:05 p.m.). The Americans faced the Latvians in pool play at last year’s World Cup, a 21-17 victory where Fredette scored 11 points going 6-of-7 from inside the arc.
The Americans face France and China on Aug. 2 beginning with a matchup against the hosts at 10:35 a.m. They round out round pool play on Aug. 4 against the Netherlands at 11:05 a.m.
The semi-finals, bronze and gold medal games are scheduled for August 5.
Jimmer Fredette took the college basketball world by storm from 2007-2011 with his incredible scoring ability.
— Greg Rosenstein (@grosenstein) July 23, 2024
Now, 13 years later, Fredette returns to the national spotlight with one goal: win an Olympic gold medal in Paris.
New on @NBCNews: https://t.co/VOdcE40wEk pic.twitter.com/f5iU6OtKP9
Unlike 5-on-5, 3x3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock and 12-second shot clock. Play is continuous, as teams “clear” the ball behind the 2-point line following a made basket, defensive rebound or steal. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious; or if time expires then the team leading wins.