BANGKOK (Thailand) - The wait is finally over and it's time to start the 2025 season in grand style with the first ever FIBA 3x3 Champions Cup on March 14-16.
Here is all the important information you need before this historic event launches the brand new season.
Where can I watch the Champions Cup? The action runs from March 14-16 and you can follow it live on the FIBA 3x3 YouTube page. Who is competing in Bangkok? This loaded draw has a total of 16 men's and women's teams, comprising continental and Olympic champions as well as top-ranked nations plus host Thailand.
Men's: Serbia, USA, France, Netherlands, Austria, Australia, Thailand, Madagascar Women's: China, France, Spain, Germany, Canada, Australia, Thailand, Madagascar What are the pools?
Who are the favorites?
These are the champions of champions, the best of the best. You can't go wrong with your selections but recency bias comes into play here and we just have to go with the Netherlands in the men's.
You know them as the Paris Olympic gold medalists and they also have the core dudes who clinched the World Tour Final in Hong Kong. They are not satisfied with 2024, however, these Dutch Masters want to burnish their legacy.
But it won't be easy for them because Serbia are out for revenge after a year they would like to forget, while France just have to be rated among the favorites because their superstar players led by excitement machine Franck Seguela have a knack of finding themselves in the final of big-time events.
In the women's, AmeriCup reigning champs Canada will start as the favorite in this loaded draw and they have two of the top three ranked players in the whole world - Katherine Plouffe and Paige Crozon.
Canada might be on a collision course to reprise a growing rivalry with Australia, who we don't see a lot of but they never fail to disappoint. They are out to make up for lost time while top seed China have brought their young guns and New Gen to Bangkok.
Who are the players to watch?
'Hype Worthy' went on a legendary heater last year and his approval rating right now is higher than anyone not named Timothee Chalamet.
But Seguela and Europe Cup MVP Nico Kaltenbrunner have also made leaps in recent seasons. For an x-factor keep your eyes peeled on Elly Randriamampionona, he's Africa's best player and ready to make a mark on the global stage.
In the women's, we've mentioned Plouffe who doubles as the most decorated player in the draw but there are plenty of other wonder women. France will bring their one-two punch of Lisa Berkani and Eve Wembanyama, who taught her younger bro Victor everything he knows about hoops.
Spain's Vega Gimeno has an Olympic silver medal around her neck and she's not done winning silverware, while Australia's Anneli Maley might just be the most passionate player we've seen on the half-court. She lives and breathes 3x3 and represents her country with so much pride that it will leave you feeling inspired watching her run through brick walls.
FIBA