LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP/NBC Sports) – The IOC has added 3-on-3 basketball as an Olympic event for the 2020 Tokyo Games.
It’s unknown if NBA players would take part in Olympic 3-on-3, NBC reports. No U.S. 3-on-3 players at worlds or the Youth Olympics has played an NBA game. Some played at Division I programs such as Connecticut and Gonzaga.
Three-on-three is a half-court, one-basket game with two teams of four players (one sub). Typically, game time is 10 minutes or first team to 21 points.
In another move toward urban youth sports, BMX Freestyle cycling will join the Olympic program for the first time among a “net increase of 15 events.”
However, the IOC says there will be 285 fewer athlete places than in 2016.
Track cycling will add men’s and women’s madison races, and swimming will add men’s 800-meter freestyle and women’s 1,500 freestyle.
IOC President Thomas Bach says the 2020 Games will become “more youthful, more urban and will include more women.”
Mixed gender medal events rise to 18 from nine.
Events confirmed Friday are in addition to decisions last August to include sports climbing, skateboarding, surfing, baseball and softball, and karate to the Tokyo program.