Magic’s Paolo Banchero would be perfect for this Olympic sport

USA Basketball is in crisis. Their dominance over the basketball world is in deep question even in the early days of the the competition.

This is not the U.S. Men's National Team, though.

LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Anthony Edwards quickly dispatched of South Sudan to move to 2-0 and clinch their spot in Tuesday's quarterfinal round. There might be some minor concerns with the team—Joel Embiid has seemingly been a disaster at center—but the U.S. is on track to win the gold.

But U.S. dominance over basketball is split. And the U.S. is not king of the entire basketball world as everyone would like.

The first two days of the 3x3 competition have been a disaster for the U.S., with the men's and women's teams dropping their first two games in group play. The women are in danger of failing to defend their gold medal and the men are floundering in their debut in the event (in its second year at the Olympics).

Losing in basketball never sits right with anyone in the U.S. And anyone paying attention is going to start asking whether the NBA should step in.

Maybe that is not likely. The 3x3 competition is a bit of an afterthought in the basketball pantheon. But that does not mean it is not a place where NBA players could thrive. Or a place where the U.S. should not dominate and showcase its basketball depth.

And like how FIBA's rules make for a different game than the NBA, the 3x3 competition is a different animal and showcases different skills than NBA regular season games.

It is the kind of place where a player like Paolo Banchero would thrive.

In four years in Los Angeles at the 2028 Olympics, Banchero should be in a position to be on the Senior Men's National Team (he should also be on the team that heads to the 2027 World Cup in Qatar).

Four years is a long time and if Banchero continues to improve in the way Magic fans expect, he should be knocking on the door of the All-NBA team soon. A spot on the Olympic team cannot be that far beyond that.

But if a spot on the Senior Men's National Team gets away from him, there is another avenue for him to wear the Stars and Stripes at the Olympics. And Banchero could put his skills on full display in the fast-paced, space-creating world of 3x3 basketball.

What is 3x3 Basketball?

3x3 Basketball is exactly what you think it is. It is 3-on-3 basketball played on a half court.

The Olympics have been trying to reach and inspire younger athletes and audiences by featuring sports that are considered more street-level sports. 3x3 Basketball is being played at the La Concorde park in Paris this year in the same venue as competitions like Skateboarding and BMX Freestyle and Break Dancing competitions.

Most people who start playing basketball have likely played some form of pick-up basketball that started with 3-on-3. So, this is a competition that gets very much to the grassroots level of the game.

It is played outdoors on a half-court. Thankfully they are not using asphalt as you might find at your local park. But it is a different kind of game than the traditional 5-on-5 that has long been a part of the Olympics.

The 2024 Paris Olympics are the second time 3x3 Basketball has been featured after it debuted in Tokyo at the 2020 Olympics. It has gotten rave reviews from those who have watched it.

Each game lasts about 30 minutes and is played for 10 minutes or until a team scores 21 points—scoring is by 1s and 2s instead of 2s and 3s. In addition, there is a 12-second shot clock.

That keeps everything moving very quickly. Players grab the ball out of the net even after made baskets and immediately go to clear the ball above the 3-point line to initiate the offense. It is a bit of organized chaos. But everything flows and there are only stoppages for fouls (which are probably a bit too frequent).

The U.S. are not using NBA players for the competition, sticking with the group that qualified for the tournament this time around. There are still familiar names—college legend Jimmer Fredette and former Florida Gator Canyon Barry are on the U.S. team.

All four of the players on the men's 3x3 team are older than 30 (competitors tend to skew older on the 3x3 teams, but the U.S. team is overall the oldest in the Olympics this year).

The women's team is using a mix of WNBA and college players, going with Los Angeles Sparks forward Dearica Hamby, Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, 3x3 veteran Cierra Burdick, and LSU guard Hailey Van Lith on their roster (Sparks rookie Cameron Brink was supposed to play before she tore her ACL).

The competition is still wide open.

Both the U.S. men's and women's teams got off to shocking 0-2 starts though. The talent gap is not as pronounced in 3x3 and games can be quite chaotic because the shot clock is so short and the space fairly limited.

But the right team would be able to dominate. And there are a lot of NBA players who would thrive in the 3x3 setting.

Paolo Banchero would be perfect for the 3x3 team

If you watched a 3x3 game, you can see why Paolo Banchero is readymade for a 3x3 competition.

The 3x3 game thrives on space and getting players in motion. They have to be able to attack quickly. And defenses have to switch, lest they get bogged down in pick and rolls with no backside help. There is not enough time on the shot clock to work the ball around the perimeter two or three times. The first attack is the best bet to get to the basket and score.

Teams often attack quickly or use backdoor cuts or slips to create mismatches and get in the paint. Possessions devolve into isolations and dribble moves often. There just is not enough time for complex actions.

The game requires versatility. It needs players who can both set screens and work on the ball. It needs players who can get downhill to the basket and take advantage of mismatches. It needs players to be able to play the perimeter and the paint.

Banchero is already a matchup nightmare in the NBA in the relatively crowded spaces of the NBA. In a 3x3 game, he would be able to bully just about any player to get to his spots for jumpers or force his way to the basket. And in a game that goes by 1s and 2s, getting to the bonus and to the foul line is critical.

Just as it is critical to be able to defend on the perimeter and in the paint with how quickly teams have to transition from offense to defense. Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner would also be mean 3x3 players for this reason and even Wendell Carter would excel in the 3x3 setting because of his ability to work the elbows or step out onto the perimeter.

This version of basketball requires quick decision-making and movements and speedy attacks to the basket. And then, sometimes, the ability to rise up and take a shot when the shot clock expires. These are all hallmarks of Jamahl Mosley's offensive philosophy and teaching too.

The versatility kick the Magic are on features several players who would succeed in the motion and decision-based offenses 3x3 Basketball requires.

It is an intriguing idea to think about which NBA players would thrive in this setting. And the U.S. has far more depth than the other countries.

For now, Banchero rightfully has his hopes on playing for the 5-on-5 team. In four years, he should be on the national team going for gold in Los Angeles.

As things stand, NBA players are not participating in the tournament because FIBA requires that two of the four players be ranked in the top 10 in the country in sanctioned 3x3 competitions. No NBA players are signing up for those at the moment.

And the NBA does not seem interested in participating in the 3x3 competition (it would also be extremely unfair to the players who go through the qualification process much like the G-League players who qualify the U.S. for the World Cup during the NBA season). But knowing the NBA's influence on FIBA, if they wanted NBA players in 3x3, they could probably get it done.

But it is hard not to watch this form of basketball and not see why Banchero would be so good in this style of basketball. It would be a fun way to see NBA players in a new environment and put their skills to the test.