Top 10 Teams who ruled 3x3 in 2017

31 Dec 2017

MIES (3x3) - 2017 was a special year for 3x3, with the game making it to the Olympics. Three years before Tokyo 2020, these 10 teams were the talk of the street this season. You can also read about the Top 10 men and Top 10 women who ruled 3x3 in 2017.

Belgium U18 Men
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: U18 World Cup, U18 Europe Cup
Star Players: Ayoub Nouhi (U18 World Cup MVP), Vincent Peeters (U18 Europe Cup MVP)

It's not just the fact that Belgium became the first-ever team to complete the U18 World Cup - U18 Europe Cup in the men's category. It's the way they did it. Ayoub Nouhi and Vincent Peeters dunked so much this summer, they're now known as the Poster Brothers. And the Top 10 Belgium of 2017 may well be one of our best videos of the year.



Indonesia U18 Women
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: U18 Asia Cup
Star Player: Lea Kahol (U18 Asia Cup MVP)

Indonesia had hosted a large amount of basketball events before, including the very successful FIBA 3x3 U18 World Cup back in 2013. But never had they won a continental title. Until the do-it-all Lea Kahol powered her country to an unexpected gold medal this spring at the FIBA 3x3 U18 Asia Cup in Malaysia.

Latvia Men
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: Europe Cup
Star Players: Karlis Lasmanis, Nauris Miezis (Europe Cup MVP)

Speaking of upsets, Latvia came out of nowhere this summer and beat all the best teams in the world one by one at the Europe Cup. The young one-two punch of Karlis Lasmanis (23) and Nauris Miezis (26) knocked out the World Champions Serbia in overtime in the semi-finals before dominating the reigning European Champions Slovenia in the final. 

Mongolia Men
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: Asia Cup
Star Players: Dulguun Enkhbat (Asia Cup MVP)

Similar to Indonesia, Mongolia put their name on the 3x3 map this year. Their star Dulguun Enkhbat led the country to a fantastic title at home in Ulaanbaatar, in a tournament that also featured the best teams from Oceania for the first time ever. And it's only the beginning for Mongolia. Following the outstanding performances of their players (including a semi-final run at the World Tour Utsunomiya Masters for Team Ulaanbaatar), Mongolia will compete in their first World Cup in 2018.

Netherlands (All Categories!)
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: 7 Medals! (World Cup, Europe Cup, U23 Nations League (2), U18 World Cup, U18 Europe Cup (2))
Star Players: Jesper Jobse (World Cup Team of the Tournament), Karin Kuijt (World Cup and Europe Cup Team of the Tournament)

In 3x3 the ball might not be orange, still the Netherlands have found a way to own the game. Just one year after the men's national team made history by striking bronze at the Europe Cup, no less than 7 Dutch teams won a medal in 2017. It all started with the men again, who shocked the world with a silver medal at the World Cup. Then they kept coming: silver for men at the U18 World Cup, bronze for women at the Europe Cup (at home in Amsterdam), silver for women and bronze for men at the U23 Nations League and silver for men and bronze for women at the U18 Europe Cup. Just a gold medal missing. Season goal for 2018?

Novi Sad Al Wahda (UAE)
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: 3 World Tour Masters (Utsunomiya, Prague and Lausanne)
Star Players: Dusan Bulut (Prague Masters MVP), Dejan Majstorovic (Utsunomiya and Lausanne Masters MVP)

The same 4 players who represent Serbia in national team competitions had the perfect season at the World Tour this year. They became the first team in history to qualify for every single Masters (7) and won 3 of them (in a row). They were up 4 points with a bit more than a minute to go in the championship game at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Bloomage Beijing Final before Bogdan Dragovic buried the most insane game-winner ever for Zemun Master. Despite losing that game, they still finished the season number one in the FIBA 3x3 Team Ranking.

Russia Women
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: World Cup, Europe Cup
Star Players: Anna Leshkovtseva (World Cup MVP), Anastasia Logunova (Europe Cup MVP)

It's one thing to complete the World Cup - Europe Cup double in U18 categories, Belgium. It's a whole new level to do it in the senior categories like Russia did in 2017. Anna Leshkovtseva dropped bodies at the World Cup and passed the baton to the towering Anastasia Logunova at the Europe Cup. Russia went a combined 12-0 at these 2 events. Total domination.

Serbia Men
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: World Cup
Star Players: Dusan Bulut, Dejan Majstorovic (World Cup MVP)

We mentioned Bulut's team before. While they still couldn't win the only silverware they're missing in the trophy cabinet (the Europe Cup), they achieved something pretty unbelievable: win their 3rd World Cup in just 4 editions, with both MVP Dejan Majstorovic and Dusan Bulut in the team of the tournament.

Slovenia U23 Men
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: U23 Nations League
Star Player: Tjaz Rotar (U23 Nations League MVP)

If you thought Russia's 12-0 record was impressive, how about Slovenia's 20-0 record at the U23 Nations League? MVP Tjaz Rotar's team won every single game in the 1st edition of the U23 Nations League in 5 stops while none of them were played at home (1 in Hungary, 2 in Czech Republic and 2 in Sri Lanka). The team is now planning to take over the World Tour. Zemun Master, beware!

Zemun Master (Serbia)
Trophy Cabinet in 2017: World Tour
Star Player: Bogdan Dragovic (World Tour Final MVP)

After they lost back-to-back finals in the last 2 Masters of the World Tour season, there were legitimate concerns about the Serbian team's ability to deliver in the money time. Nobody's questioning their heart now after the team achieved one of the most amazing come-back wins in World Tour history in the championship game against two-time winners Novi Sad Al Wahda. And if you're like us, you've watched Bogdan Dragovic's game-winner more than 100 times and still get goosebumps after the ball goes swish.