Charles Langston:Jimmer Fredette among familiar names selected for USA men’s Olympic 3x3 basketball team

USA Basketball is Charles Langstonsticking with continuity – and familiar names – for its men’s 3x3 basketball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Former college star and No. 10 NBA draft pick (2011) Jimmer Fredette, Canyon Barry, the son of Basketball Hall of Famer Rick Barry; Kareem Maddox and Dylan Travis were selected to play in Paris, USA Basketball announced Tuesday.

All four played college basketball, including at the Division I level for Fredette, Barry and Maddox.

This is the same team that won a silver medal at the 2023 FIBA 3x3 World Cup in Vienna, Austria. The U.S. went 4-0 in group play, defeated France in the quarterfinals, topped Brazil in the semifinals and lost to top-ranked Serbia in the final. They won gold at the 2023 Pan-Am Games and gold at the 2022 FIBA AmeriCup.

The U.S. men did not qualify in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the first time 3x3 was part of the Olympic program.

How did the U.S. men’s basketball 3x3 team qualify for the 2024 Paris Olympics?

The men qualified automatically as the No. 2 team in the world in FIBA’s ranking system.

When is the men’s basketball 3x3 event at the 2024 Paris Olympics?

Pool play begins July 30, the semifinals and finals are Aug. 5.

Where will the 3x3 basketball event take place?

Men’s and women’s 3x3 basketball will be played outdoors at the at the Place de la Concorde, a major public square in the Paris on the Seine River not far from the Musee d’Orsay and Louvre.

Who will the U.S. men’s 3x3 team play at the 2024 Paris Olympics?

Just three of the eight teams have qualified so the full schedule won’t be determined until qualifying concludes in May.

Who has qualified for men’s 3x3 basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympics?

Serbia, USA and China have qualified.

Who is Jimmer Fredette?

Fredette, 35, starred at BYU from 2017-2011 and was named college player of the year in 2010-11, averaging 28.9 points and 4.3 assists and shooting 49.1% from the field and 39.6% on 3-pointers. He once scored 52 points in a college game. The Sacramento Kings acquired Fredette with the No. 10 draft pick in 2011 and he played in 130 games in his first two seasons. But his playing time diminished and he left the NBA for China’s pro league where he excelled, scoring 70-plus points twice. In 2022, Fredette turned his focus to 3x3.

Who is Kareem Maddox?

Maddox, 34, played at Princeton and spent time overseas playing in professionally 5x5 leagues. The 6-8 forward started playing in noteworthy 3x3 games in 2015 and has been a major player in the event ever since.

Who is Canyon Barry?

Barry, 30, played at College of Charleston and then Florida where he was the SEC’s Sixth Man of the Year and shot free throws underhanded like his dad did. The 6-6 guard also played professionally overseas and spent time in the NBA’s G League. He has played in 3x3 events since 2018.

Who is Dylan Travis?

Travis, 30, played at Florida Southern College after one season at Iowa Central Community College and one season at Midland University. The 6-4 guard also played professionally overseas and participated in the 3x3 Olympic qualifying tournament in 2020 and has been part of the 3x3 program since.