PBA 3x3
 | |
| First season | 2021 (planned) |
|---|---|
| Country | Philippines |
| Confederation | FIBA Asia |
| Number of teams | 16 |
| Commissioner | Eric Altamirano |
 2021 PBA 3x3 season | |
PBA 3x3 refers to a men's 3x3 basketball league proposed by the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
History
The proposal to form PBA 3x3, a men's 3x3 basketball league, was a result of a joint partnership between the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP), the national sports association for basketball in the Philippines, as a means to help the Philippine national 3x3 team qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics and subsequent editions after 3x3 became a regular discipline in the 2020 Summer Olympics.[1] The concept for a PBA 3x3 league was proposed by Terrafirma governor Bobby Rosales in an annual board meeting.[2] PBA 3x3 is proposed as a stand-alone program, similar to the PBA D-League which means that the 3x3 league is distinct from the main 5-a-side men's professional league of the PBA.[1]
The PBA had prior involvement in 3x3. In 2014 and 2015, it has allowed some of its players to join Philippine-based teams to participate in masters tournaments of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour and organized the short-lived PBA Women's 3x3 which had one season in 2015, following the Philippines women's national team's promotion to Division I of the FIBA Asia Women's Championship.[2]
The SBP also had partnered with Bounty Agro Ventures to organize the Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3, a men's 3x3 league, which helped garner enough FIBA 3x3 ranking points for the Philippine men's national team to earn a berth in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 has publicly welcomed the possible formation of a 3x3 league by the PBA[2] and the SBP said that the existence of more competitive 3x3 tournaments is within its interest.[3] There are plans to revive the women's 3x3 league as of February 2020.[4]
The inaugural season was supposed to be held in 2020 but was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the PBA preoccupied with plans to resume the season of its main league during that time.[5]
The PBA 3x3 committee was formed in August 2020, with Alaska Aces governor, Richard Bachmann as its chairman.[6] The committee held its first meeting on August 13, 2020.[7] Eric Altamirano was also named as the league's first commissioner.[8]
The PBA 3x3 inaugural season will be held in parallel with the 2021 PBA season which is set to officially open on April 11, 2021.[9]
Inaugural season
Format
The PBA 3x3 committee is leaning on scheduling games of the PBA 3x3 in between conferences of the main PBA league, to allow the franchise teams to field their top players in 3x3 matches.[10]
References
- ^ a b Giongco, Mark (February 1, 2020). "PBA, SBP set to launch 3×3 tournament in March". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ a b c Bacnis, Justine (August 11, 2020). "Chooks 3x3 does not see PBA 3x3 as competition, says Eric Altamirano". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ Ramos, Gerry (February 1, 2020). "SBP says the more tournaments the better as PBA set to launch 3x3 series". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ Naredo, Camille (February 25, 2020). "PBA to unveil 14-team 3x3 tourney". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ Lozada, Bong (June 12, 2020). "Inaugural PBA 3x3 tournament postponed to next year". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ Bacnis, Justine (December 3, 2020). "PBA 3x3 to have earlier start date than 5-on-5". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ Bacnis, Justine (August 14, 2020). "Bachmann says PBA targeting 2021 start date for 3x3". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
- ^ Li, Matthew (28 January 2021). "Eric Altamirano named PBA 3x3 tournament director". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 29 January 2021.
- ^ Leongson, Randolph (10 March 2021). "PBA set for 16-team three-conference maiden 3x3 seasonPBA set for 16-team three-conference maiden 3x3 season". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved 10 March 2021.
- ^ Ramos, Gerry (December 4, 2020). "PBA looking to hold maiden 3x3 tournament in between conferences". Sports Interactive Network Philippines. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
