29 Jul 2022
PRAGUE (Czech Republic) - After a two-month breather, where international competition held court, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2022 returns in style at the fan favorite Prague Masters.
Let's take a closer look at everything you need to know about this season's third Masters before the action starts on July 30-31.
Where can I watch the Prague Masters?
The action runs from July 30-31, and you can follow it live on the FIBA 3x3 YouTube, Facebook, Sina Weibo and Douyin pages.
Who is competing in Prague?
Four of the top six teams in the rankings and a total of 14 squads: Ub Huishan NE, Liman Huishan NE, Riga, Sakiai Gulbele, Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy, Marijampole Mantinga, Warsaw Lotto, Ostrava VICTORIA, Omaha 3Ball, Belgrade Partizan, Hamburg, Washington DC, Bielefeld TSVE, Tel Aviv
What are the pools?
View this post on Instagram
Who are the favorites?
We just have to start with No.1 seed Ub Huishan NE (SRB) who started this season's World Tour bang, bang with victories at the Utsunomiya Opener and Manila Masters.
Oh, and three of their players were part of Serbia's gold medal win at the Crelan FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2022, including MVP Dejan Majstorovic who is playing the best 3x3 of his life.
They might just be the best team since legendary Novi Sad's ridiculous unbeaten 2018 season, but their rivals Liman Huishan NE aren't too far behind as they enter Prague on an insane 15-game winning streak after three straight Challenger titles.
No.2 seed Liman will be without sniper Stefan Kojic but his absence didn't matter at the recent Lipik Challenger, where replacement Miroslav Pasajlic filled in superbly with a lights out display.
An Ub and Liman rematch of the final in Manila would have more hype than The Gray Man but you can't dismiss any of the teams in the draw. Namely No.3 seed Riga (LAT) who feature 3 Olympic champions, including Nauris Miezis aka 'The Maze'.
There are several teams, such as Sakiai Gulbele and Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy who look very dangerous but don't quite have the consistency of the very best. While it's much the same story for Warsaw Lotto (POL), who are capable of going all the way if bucket-getter Przemyslaw Zamojski makes Prague wet.
Perhaps the most exciting team are new kids on the block Washington DC (USA) who turned heads when they won the Poitiers Challenger in their 3x3 debut.
And these dudes know how to entertain through rim-shaking dunks, no-look dimes and crazy shot making to be one of the most talked about teams on the pro circuit. If they get going then look out!
A heat wave might emerge in Prague if Washington DC fire up.
Who are the players to watch?
Let's begin with the usual suspects. As mentioned above, Dejan Majstorovic just keeps playing string music and if he isn't then his partner-in-crime Strahinja Stojacic takes the lead role.
World Cup 2022 gold medalist Mihailo Vasic is in rampaging form and intent on making Prague his personal playground.
And we've seen Riga's Nauris Miezis step up into playing the caped crusader and he might just save his heroics for Prague.
While Marijus Uzupis isn't just a romantic who produced the marriage proposal of the year in Antwerp, he transforms into a flat out assassin with the Wilson in his hands.
But if we're talking twos then there is only one man. That's right, I can hear Kyle Montgomery aka 'The Voice' clearing his golden tonsils and preparing to let rip a 'Yesssirrr'. Get ready because Steve Sir might be in different colors these days but the Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy player-coach can still drop bombs from downtown.
You want an excitement machine? Well we've got a dude who threatens to regularly melt down social media. Welcome, Hassani Gravett who gave a taste of his incredible talents in Poitiers where if he didn't collect bodies at the rim, this recent NBA player was hitting circus shots from deep at the buzzer!
View this post on Instagram
You won't be able to keep your eyes off this newest 3x3 sensation as the World Tour returns with trademark thrills and a promise of fireworks on the half-court in pretty Prague.
FIBA