Basketball in 40 mph winds? Inside the wild world of 3x3 hoops

LAS VEGAS — Whether it's weathering Olympic-strength sailing winds or taking aim during a Malaysian monsoon, 3x3 basketball players are used to challenging conditions to say the least.

LAS VEGAS — Whether it's weathering Olympic-strength sailing winds or taking aim during a Malaysian monsoon, 3x3 basketball players are used to challenging conditions to say the least.

The Olympics first sanctioned 3x3 play for the 2020 Games in Tokyo, though Team USA didn't qualify for the men's tournament as Latvia — the West Virginia-sized Baltic nation of 1.8 million — took gold.

So when the U.S. men open this Olympic tournament on July 30 in Paris against Germany, it could be the first time many Americans see this fast-paced, half-court version of James Naismith's game.

The most jarring scene will be that games are played outdoors where weather, like wind and rain, can alter long-range shots.

Team USA's Canyon Barry said conditions can be "definitely challenging" and offered up the most understated analysis of the sport.

https://www.nbcnews.com/sports/olympics/basketball-40-mph-winds-wild-world-3x3-hoops-rcna161001

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