Colorado athletes lead Team USA into first 3x3 basketball Olympic bid

Littleton's Jimmer Fredette, 35, is the former 2011 national college player of the year from his days at Brigham Young University, where he led the nation in scoring.

• He played parts of six seasons in the NBA and then in overseas leagues.
• In the 2023 World Cup, where Team USA finished with the silver medal, he led all scorers with 59.

Canyon Barry of Colorado Springs is a 3x3 veteran with experience in two World Cups and numerous other international tournaments.

• The 30-year-old played college ball at Charleston and Florida and then in the NBA's G League for the Iowa Wolves.
• His family is steeped in basketball history. His father is NBA Hall of Fame father Rick Barry and his brother, Brent, is also an NBA champion.

The two other team members are Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis.

Fun fact: Barry shoots free-throws underhanded, a shot perfected by his father.

How it works: 3x3 basketball is played on half the court with a 12-second shot clock. Instead of 2-pointers and threes, it's 1s and 2s. The entire game is 10 minutes long and the first team to 21 wins.

• The rules make for a fast-paced and physical game that keeps teams constantly in motion. The ideal player is one who can score from beyond the arc, drive for baskets and move without the ball.

What they're saying: "Anything can happen in 3x3," Fredette recently told podcast host Ryen Russillo. "It's such a quick game anybody can beat anybody on a given day so you just have to be prepared."

What to watch: Serbia is the team to beat, ranked No. 1 in the world with the U.S. in second.