JANUARY 20, 2023 SAN JUAN (Puerto Rico) – The third edition of the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup will travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico in December 1-3, 2023.
The Puerto Rico Basketball Federation will organize the 2023 edition of the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup after two editions in Miami, USA.
“Puerto Rico has been host of a lot of quality FIBA competitions for both 3x3 and basketball, including the 3x3 World Cup Qualifier 2019 and the FIBA Women’s Americup 2021” FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis said. “We are excited to bring 3x3 back to Puerto Rico, the home of the first-ever 3x3 World Tour winners back in 2012, for a tournament that is part of the qualification path to the Olympic Games.”
One team per gender will qualify for the FIBA Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2, which will qualify one team from each gender to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The event will be played at the T-Mobile District of San Juan.
"In collaboration with the Recreation and Sports Department, we will celebrate, for the first time, the 3x3 AmeriCup in Puerto Rico. We are ready to transform the T-Mobile District, one of the most modern, accessible, and fun venues on the island, to receive the delegations and offer fans a great show in December," said Yum Ramos, president of the Puerto Rico Basketball Federation.
“We are very excited to host the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup here in San Juan, home of the first World Tour winners back in 2012. Puerto Rico has a lot of 3x3 tradition, our fans are the best and they deserve to experience a high-level 3x3 event like this. The event will be packed, very competitive and a total success.” said Oscar Hourruitiner, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico 3x3 National Team.
Every eligible national federation from the Americas is allowed to register a men’s and/or a women’s national team at the FIBA 3x3 AmeriCup.
As it is the case for every FIBA 3x3 national team official competition, the main draw of these events will feature the same number of men and women’s teams, who will play alternatively on the same court in front of the same fans.
### Exciting, urban and innovative, 3x3 is inspired by several forms of streetball played worldwide and is considered the world’s number one urban team sport. Steered by FIBA, games see two teams of three players face off on a basketball half-court. It was played successfully for the first time in international competition at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore and since then has benefited from the launch of a yearly city-based FIBA 3x3 World Tour and national-team FIBA 3x3 World & Continental Cups. On July 24, 2021, 3x3 made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games. For further information about 3x3, visit fiba3x3.basketball, FIBA 3x3 accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Sina Weibo, Tencent, TikTok, Twitter, Youku , YouTube and Twitch or contact 3x3@fiba.basketball. Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo lead the Western and Eastern Conferences, respectively, in the third fan returns of NBA All-Star Voting presented by AT&T. Antetokounmpo has moved ahead of Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant by 132,014 votes for the top overall spot in the Eastern Conference. Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has extended his lead over Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid to 203,379 votes for third place among East frontcourt players, behind Antetokounmpo and Durant. Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving leads the East guards and is followed closely by the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell, with the two players separated by 116,808 votes. In the Western Conference, the top three frontcourt spots are held by James (No. 1), Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (No. 2) and Lakers forward Anthony Davis (No. 3). Davis is 77,439 votes ahead of New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (No. 4). At guard, the Golden State Warriors’ Stephen Curry tops the position group and is 246,167 votes ahead of the No. 2 player, the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Dončić. Fans account for 50% of the vote to determine the starters for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game. Current NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each. NBA All-Star Voting presented by AT&T will conclude on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Tomorrow (Friday, Jan. 20) will be the final “3-for-1 Day,” when each fan vote counts three times. The NBA All-Star Game starters, including the two team captains, will be revealed by TNT on Thursday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. ET. The team captains will be the All-Star starter from each conference who receives the most fan votes in his conference. Below are the top 10 vote-getters by position group in the third fan returns. 
“THROW IT DOWN WITH BILL WALTON” ALTERNATE GAME TELECAST TO DEBUT ON NBA LEAGUE PASS IN THE NEW NBA APP – First Telecast Set for San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers Game on Jan. 23 with Guest Appearances from Phil Knight and Julius Erving – – Jason Benetti to Serve as Play-by-Play Host; Show to Feature Special Guests from Across Sports, Music, Literature and Business – NEW YORK, Jan. 19, 2023 – The NBA today announced the launch of “Throw it Down with Bill Walton,” an alternative game telecast hosted by NBA 50th and 75th Anniversary Team member and legendary broadcaster Bill Walton that will stream exclusively on NBA League Pass via the new NBA App. The first telecast will debut Monday, Jan. 23 for the San Antonio Spurs vs. Portland Trail Blazers game at 10 p.m. ET. “This incredible dream is the thrill, honor and privilege of a lifetime. Wow, and on the NBA’s global and intergalactic platform too!” said Walton. “I’m the luckiest guy in the world. Please help me throw it down as this volcanic eruption celebrates the best of life, nature, sport, the NBA and everything else. We promise to blast through the real, imaginary and self-imposed limits of the known universe and beyond. Won’t you come with me. Hold on if you can. Hold on if you dare. THROW IT DOWN, exclusively on the NBA App, where dreams become reality, where we come to grow and where the deal goes down.” Walton – a two-time NBA champion, NBA MVP, Sixth Man of the Year, Finals MVP and acclaimed Emmy Award-winning broadcaster – will call the action for a series of NBA League Pass games as he surveys the brightest stars in today’s game and flashes back to his remarkable life and career. The show – featuring special guests from across sports, music, literature, business, entertainment and beyond – will stream on select Mondays with Jason Benetti serving as the play-by-play announcer. NBA legend Julius Erving and Nike co-founder and chairman emeritus Phil Knight are set to be the featured guests for the first telecast. The upcoming schedule for the “Throw It Down with Bill Walton” series is highlighted below: Date | | Away | | Home | | Time | | Monday, Jan. 23 | | San Antonio | | Portland | | 10 p.m. ET | | Monday, Jan. 30 | | Toronto | | Phoenix | | 9 p.m. ET | | Monday, Feb. 6 | | Cleveland | | Washington | | 7 p.m. ET | | Monday, Feb. 27 | | Boston | | New York | | 7:30 p.m. ET | | Monday, March 6 | | Boston | | Cleveland | | 7 p.m. ET | |
“Throw it Down with Bill Walton” joins a strong list of alternative game telecasts featured exclusively on the NBA App: - NBA HooperVision – Former NBA players and hosts, including Quentin Richardson, Nate Robinson and Dorell Wright, share their unique insights on the game with a pop culture crossover.
- NBABet Stream – A weekly stream with a selection of top contributors who provide the latest betting information during live game coverage.
- NBA Strategy Stream – Fans can get deep analytics and Xs and Os through this insightful stream from Nate Duncan and Danny Leroux.
As previously announced, the new and improved NBA App is the all-in-one destination for NBA fans of every team. With entirely new personalization features, the NBA App provides wall-to-wall content from every NBA game and features social-style vertical video, unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to players and teams, new and existing shows and series, and access to the NBA vault for free. The NBA App – a product of NBA Digital, the league’s joint venture with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports – is free to download here. About the NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a global sports and media organization with the mission to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of basketball. Built around five professional sports leagues: the NBA, WNBA, NBA G League, NBA 2K League and Basketball Africa League, the NBA has established a major international presence with games and programming available in 214 countries and territories in more than 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than 200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters at the start of the 2021-22 season featured a record 121 international players from 41 countries. NBA Digital’s assets include NBA TV, NBA.com, the NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and followers globally across all league, team, and player platforms. Through NBA Cares, the league addresses important social issues by working with internationally recognized youth-serving organizations that support education, youth and family development, and health-related causes.
FRANCE AND NBA ANNOUNCE COMPREHENSIVE COLLABORATION TO ELEVATE BASKETBALL IN FRANCE AND AFRICA PARIS, Jan. 19, 2023 – French President Emmanuel Macron and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver today announced a comprehensive plan to collaborate on a variety of initiatives that will elevate basketball in France and Africa at all levels. The French Government and the NBA are forming a working group of senior level executives and will coordinate with the French Basketball Federation (FFBB) to develop these plans further, culminating with a formal partnership that will be announced in conjunction with the 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic games in Paris, where basketball will be a featured sport. President Macron, Adam Silver, NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum, NBA Head of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars, and FFBB President Jean-Pierre Siutat met yesterday in Paris ahead of The NBA Paris Game 2023 Presented by Nike, which will feature the six-time NBA champion Chicago Bulls and the three-time NBA champion Detroit Pistons playing the league’s second regular-season game in Paris tonight at 9 p.m. CET. The French Government and the NBA plan to work together on the following initiatives: - The NBA and the LNB, France’s top professional basketball league that currently features French star and top 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama, will share best practices across team and league business and basketball operations that will help grow the LNB and its teams and deepen their engagement with French fans. The NBA and the LNB will also explore exhibition games and ancillary events featuring NBA, LNB and Basketball Africa League (BAL) teams and players.
- In the lead up to the 2024 Summer Olympics, France and the NBA will conduct grassroots basketball development programming, interactive fan events and player appearances that will bring the NBA experience directly to fans in Paris.
- The NBA and the FFBB will expand their existing basketball development programming that has reached more than a quarter of a million French youth over the past decade, including through the Jr. NBA Challenge Benjamin(e)s program.
- France and the NBA plan to further invest in basketball infrastructure in Africa, including multipurpose facilities that can host BAL and NBA games and that will drive economic growth in communities across the continent.
“I am delighted and proud of the NBA’s choice to make France and Paris one of its privileged playgrounds in the world,” said Emmanuel Macron. “It reflects the special and long-standing relationship that France has with the NBA. With the excellence of our training, the performance of our national teams and the hosting of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic games, we now have the opportunity to go further and engage in a useful and lasting partnership for the benefit of French basketball, as well as in support of our development policy in Africa. I am very pleased with this cooperation which will delight basketball fans and practitioners in our country and will contribute to our project to make France a great nation of sport.” “It is a great honor to work and build a partnership with the NBA,” said Siutat. “The French Federation already did it 10 years ago on youth programs. Our national teams are doing great and basketball in France is growing fast. It is time now to go forward at a higher level and we think there is momentum for our sport, especially with the Olympic and Paralympic games next year in Paris. We are very proud to announce this cooperation. I want to thank Adam Silver and President Macron for their support.” “We’re honored to work with President Macron, the French Basketball Federation and the LNB to build on the tremendous momentum around basketball and the NBA in France,” said Silver. “President Macron strongly believes in the power of basketball to inspire and connect people everywhere, and we see enormous potential to grow the game and drive economic opportunity around sport in France and Africa.” The NBA Paris Game 2023 Presented by Nike will air live on beIN SPORTS, free-to-air Canal+ and NBA League Pass at 9 p.m. CET, reaching fans in more than 200 countries and territories on television, digital media and social media. The NBA and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), France’s inclusive public development bank committed to financing and technical assistance for projects that improve the lives of people in developing and emerging economies, have an existing collaboration to promote social inclusion in Africa by developing basketball infrastructure and conducting youth basketball programs, events and initiatives in select African countries. There have been more NBA players from France than from any other country outside North America, including nine this season.
This weekend, the NBA celebrated one of its most important traditions honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today, nine NBA games will be played including a compelling lineup of four nationally televised games on TNT and NBA TV tipping off at 1:00 p.m. ET. Additionally, all teams playing throughout the weekend wore custom Nike Martin Luther King Jr. Day On-Court Warm-Up T-Shirts designed in collaboration with the MLK Foundation, Martin Luther King III and the NBPA. All 30 NBA teams commemorated the important holiday and iconic leader in-arena, on broadcast, social media and through additional storytelling, and will continue to do so throughout the day. NBA on MLK Day National TV Schedule: - Boston Celtics vs. Charlotte Hornets – 1 p.m. ET on NBA TV
- Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks – 3:30 p.m. ET on TNT
- Phoenix Suns vs. Memphis Grizzlies – 6:00 p.m. ET on TNT
- Houston Rockets vs. Los Angeles Lakers – 10:30 p.m. ET on NBA TV
NBA HBCU Fellowship Program Application Opens Today The application window for the 2023 NBA HBCU Fellowship Program opens today. Last year, the NBA launched this paid Fellowship to provide career development opportunities in the business of basketball for undergraduate and graduate students from HBCUs. The NBA and its teams hosted an inaugural cohort of 60 fellows representing 24 different HBCUs for a ten-week period during summer 2022. Interested students can apply here. The deadline to apply is Feb. 20. New “Change” MLK Spot: On Jan. 5, the NBA unveiled “Change”, the new spot that honors the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and highlights Dr. King’s vision, courage, and selflessness, which started a movement that still changes lives today. Released in :30 and :60 second versions, the spot opens in a classic theatre featuring and narrated by Memphis Grizzlies Forward Jaren Jackson Jr. The spot shows Jackson Jr. watching footage of pivotal moments from Dr. King’s life and includes powerful soundbites from Dr. King’s “What Is Your Life’s Blueprint?” speech. 
Custom Nike Warm-Ups: NBA teams playing on MLK day will wear custom Nike Martin Luther King Jr. Day On-Court Warm-Up T-Shirts. Teams not playing on the holiday were encouraged to wear their warm-up t-shirts at the closest home game to MLK Day. 
MLK Day Commemorations Leaguewide: Last week and throughout the weekend, all 30 NBA teams will honor Dr. King’s pursuit of racial, social and economic justice. Please visit NBA.com/MLK for additional information on team and league celebrations and find select activations below: Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Dream Jr. NBA basketball development event: On Saturday, Jan. 14, 24 youth basketball teams comprised of more than 200 middle school students competed in a 5v5 tournament at the CT Martin Recreation Center from 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. ET. Atlanta Hawks alumni Damien Wilkins, Dion Glover, Roshown McLeod, Atlanta Dream players Nia Coffey and AD Durr, and Atlanta Dream Head Coach Tanisha Wright were in attendance in support of the league’s youth basketball development programming surrounding MLK Day. The winning team from each of the boys and girls divisions received trophies, as well as official Atlanta Hawks and Atlanta Dream merchandise. Jr. NBA 5v5 Tournament Appearances Damien Wilkins (Atlanta Hawks alumni) Dion Glover (Atlanta Hawks alumni) Roshown Mcleod (Atlanta Hawks alumni) Nia Coffey (Atlanta Dream player) AD Durr (Atlanta Dream player) Tanisha Wright (Atlanta Dream Head Coach) Additionally, 40 youth coaches will participate in a Jr. NBA Respect the Game Forum on Monday, Jan. 16 at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Recreation Center. The forum will tip off with a fireside chat headlined by former Atlanta Hawks player Salim Stoudamire. In partnership with Positive Coaching Alliance, the Jr. NBA will also host a workshop for attendees focusing on creating meaningful connections with youth athletes and fostering inclusive environments. Participants will then attend the Miami Heat vs. Atlanta Hawks MLK Day game at 3:30 p.m. ET at the State Farm Arena. Jr. NBA Respect the Game Forum Appearances Salim Stoudamire (Atlanta Hawks alumni) Memphis Grizzlies: On Sunday, Jan. 15, the Grizzlies hosted a NCRM VIP tour and Intersection of Race and Sport panel to discuss the topic of reckoning with confederate monuments of college campuses. Panelists included NBA legend Grant Hill, Memphis Grizzlies Guard Danny Green, University of Memphis Women’s Basketball Head Coach Katrina Merriweather and Washington Post photographer Cornell Watson. The panel was moderated by Andscape senior NBA writer Marc Spears. Minnesota Timberwolves: On Monday, Jan. 16, Business and Basketball Operations staff from the Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx and Iowa Wolves will participate in the 33rd annual MLK Breakfast. The MLK Breakfast celebrates a 33-year legacy of leadership in the Twin Cities and is a landmark event known for uniting our community and benefitting the United Negro College Fund Twin Cities local scholars. Additionally, the Timberwolves Pack Gives Back Community Ticket Program will provide complimentary tickets to local area schools and youth-serving organizations. | 
