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Can you foul out in 3x3 Olympic basketball? Taking a closer look

The 3x3 basketball is returning to this year's Paris Olympics after a successful inaugural tournament in the 2021 Tokyo Games. This year, eight nations will be competing in the tournament on both men’s and women’s divisions at La Concorde, France.

Many questions remain in the relatively novel basketball discipline. That includes if a player can be fouled out in a 3x3 game. To answer this question, FIBA rules do not account for personal fouls in the three-on-three game, so fouling out is impossible.

Despite that, there are hefty penalties for teams who frequently foul. A team will be able to commit six fouls before entering the penalty mark. After nine fouls, any subsequent foul is considered to be a technical foul, which means the opposing team will shoot two free throws and retain ball possession.

Once the team is in a penalty situation, fouls will always result in two free throws, regardless of whether it is a technical foul, unsportsmanlike foul or any other foul.

Similar to the typical full-court game, fouls committed inside the arc will merit one free throw, while fouls outside the arc will be worth two free throws.

The 3x3 Olympic game runs for 10 minutes or once a team reaches 21 points with a two-point lead. The game begins with a coin toss, and the winner chooses who will have the first possession.

Possessions then switch every after a basket. The typical 3-point line in 5-on-5 basketball is worth two points in the half-court game, while baskets made inside the arc are worth one point.

The shot clock ticks for 12 seconds every possession. A player must also clear the possession by dribbling the ball outside the arc before attempting a shot. However, an offensive team can shoot the ball once they grab an offensive rebound.

With these rules, the game is considered to be a faster-paced discipline of basketball. The space on the floor leaves a lot of driving opportunities for players, making the game faster.

Paris 3x3 Olympic Basketball participating teams

The Paris Olympics will be having eight teams on men’s and women’s 3x3 tournaments. Inaugural men’s champion Latvia headlines the eight-team pool, while Serbia is pitted to be the favorite to win the men’s side.

Other teams participating are Lithuania, China, the Netherlands, France, Poland and Team USA, who will be led by former NBA player Jimmer Fredette.

The women’s 3x3 teams are China, France, Germany, Canada, Spain, Azerbaijan, Australia and the defending gold medalists, Team USA.

The tournament will run from July 30 until August 5. Games will be held at the iconic Place de la Concorde, which is in the heart of the French capital.

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