3-on-3 basketball is now an official Olympic sport but since the status of the summer games is up in the air, let’s look at what Phoenix Suns teams could compile the best 3-on-3 squad.
Whether or not the Tokyo 2020 Olympics happen is still up in the air, but some of the biggest news leading up to it is the debut of 3-on-3 basketball as an official Olympic sport. This got me thinking if the Phoenix Suns were to field a 3-on-3 team for the Olympics, who would be on it?
In fact, if they were to build a 3-on-3 team in every year the Summer Olympics occurred, who would they put on the court?
For the purpose of setting some ground rules for this hypothetical venture, let’s say we can only pick three players for each team. There will be no subs for the sake of making this tougher.
Also, the player’s quality comes from the year we are talking about. For example, I would not pick 35-year-old Shaq in 2008 with the idea he would play like his 1996 self.
So, what makes a good 3-on-3 team? Would a monster like Shaq who can’t shoot even be a good fit?
To me, the best 3-on-3 players have to be able to create points on their own. They have to be able to dominate the 1-on-1 game and be able to beat their man at any given time. There is so much more room on the court than a traditional 5-on-5 situation, each player needs the ability to take advantage of that open space, sort of like an athlete on the football field taking advantage of space on the outside.
A good team still needs size, but it comes secondary to playmaking ability. Of course, a team of all guards would not be successful so somewhere there is a balance to be had.
Let’s dive in: