Shane Heal: Australia’s failure in ‘backyard sport’ is great Olympic ‘shame’

As debate rages about the new sports added to the Olympics in recent years, an Australian legend says we are falling behind.

COMMENT

It’s not going anywhere, but in 3x3 basketball Australia is well behind.

Our Olympic women’s 3x3 basketball team has wrapped up its Paris campaign, finishing in a respectable fifth spot after a 21-10 loss to Canada on Sunday.

They fought through injuries and some questionable calls at a crucial time of the tournament and after the game the team spoke emotionally about needing more support from Basketball Australia.

A senior basketball executive mentioned to me last year that Basketball Australia was told years ago that 3x3 was gaining momentum around the world and they needed to invest in it and grow it, something they have neglected to do compared to the Boomers and Opals.

Years later, here we are and despite being one of the best basketball countries in the world, our men’s team didn’t even qualify for the Olympics while the women’s team feels incredibly unsupported.

Regardless of the growth of the sport internationally, Basketball Australia has done a poor job promoting the rising sport in Australia.

Australia's team celebrates after winning the women's pool round 3x3 basketball game between Australia and Azerbaijan. (Photo by David GRAY / AFP)

AFL great Jason Dunstall didn’t mince his words when talking about the sport on Triple M.

“I love basketball but that 3x3 - that sucks donkeys balls,” Dunstall said.

“I don’t know any of the players playing, the yanks are no good at it, which tells you that they couldn’t give a rats about it either.

“And how do you even qualify for it? Nobody knows, it’s extraordinary, and now we’re going to give medals for it.

“It was a backyard game that Ice Cube and his mates started. And now they’re getting medals for it!”

This so-called backyard game that Ice Cube started recently offered rookie women’s star Caitlin Clarke USD$5 million (that’s $7.5m for us!) to play in the league. Not bad for a backyard sport.

But Dunstall isn’t alone in his thoughts. Many people know little about 3x3 and his questions are valid.

This is another responsibility of Basketball Australia to promote the sport and support the players to want to play and compete at an Olympic level.

Whether the hoops purists like it or not, 3x3 basketball is only getting bigger.

3x3 is facing the same battles as One-Day cricket when it started, or the scepticism of beach volleyball being named an Olympic sport.

We of course all now know that beach bolleyball has thrived at the Olympics since its inception in 1996, and again at the Sydney Olympics.

3x3 basketball is huge in Europe and growing significantly in the USA. Last month a new woman’s 3 on 3 basketball league was announced in the USA.

Team Netherlands won the men's 3x3 basketball gold medals in Paris, France. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

They will pay players a six figure salary for the 10-week season and it will be played in the off season to the WNBA.

The league compiled a high-profile group of investors including soccer legends Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe, NBA greats Carmelo Anthony and Steve Nash, golf icon Michelle Wie West, actor Ashton Kutcher and UConn coach Geno Auriemma.

So there are obviously plenty of high profile people around the world that see the 3x3s ultimate potential and growth.

It will be tough to navigate, but Basketball Australia needs to find a way to maximise the extreme talent depths in Australian basketball, and use that depth to create the very best 3x3 teams.

It seems a shame to have players like DJ Vasiljevic, Jack White, Luke Travers and Xavier Cooks all sitting at home and watching the Olympics. All have NBA experience, would be great 3x3 players and would be a great shot to medal at an Olympics.

Team Germany won the women's 3x3 basketball gold medals. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

There’s a lot more to it than that of course, including funding for players to play in and experience tournaments around the world, something our women’s team have been critical of.

Given potential overlap with things like domestic league seasons and a desire to still play for the Boomers and Opals, we may even shortly see players choose 3x3 as their specialty, especially if they have been cut multiple times from national teams and see their chances as slim to make the Olympics in its traditional form.

There will be some players that are more suited to 3x3, and such athletes need to be appreciated for their versatility.

It’s generally suited to mobile and tough players, not so much the tall centres or very small guards. You have to be able to defend, make plays and have a motor that keeps going with very little stoppages.

Shane Heal has called for more investment in 3x3 basketball. Pic Colleen Petch. Basketball A/CT

Basketball Australia need a strategy to attract the best players that want to play the game and become Olympians.

Not having a men’s team qualify is simply not acceptable and plans need to be made now for 2028 and beyond. This has to include investment and support for players as the sport continues to grow.

You never know, it might just take off like T20 cricket and I have no doubt it will be seen like beach volleyball.

After all, a 3x3 Olympic medal has the same value as a medal from the Boomers and Opals, so why not do everything to enhance their chances of success as well.

– Shane Heal is a four-time Olympic basketball star for the Boomers, including captaining the 2004 Athens Olympic team. He is writing exclusively for news.com.au during the Paris Olympics.