Is 3x3 the same as half-court basketball?

B · Beginner · Officials, results and differences · 6 of 6

Checked 14 October 2026

No.

It is a separate game with its own FIBA rule book. Both teams attack one basket, baskets are worth one and two, a game is 10 minutes or first to 21, the shot clock is 12 seconds and the ball must be taken behind the arc after every change of possession. There is no coach.

How it works

	3x3	Five-a-side (FIBA)
Players	3 on court, 1 substitute	5 on court, up to 12 in the team
Coach	None during the game	Head coach on the bench
Court	15 by 11 metres, one basket	28 by 15 metres, two baskets
Game	One period of 10 minutes, or first to 21	Four periods of 10 minutes
Level at the end	Overtime: first to 2 points	Overtime periods of 5 minutes
Baskets	1 point, and 2 from behind the arc	2 points, and 3 from behind the arc
Shot clock	12 seconds	24 seconds
Start	Coin flip and a check-ball	Jump ball
After a basket	Play on from under the basket, clearing behind the arc	Throw-in from behind the end line
Held ball	Check-ball to the defence	Alternating possession
Foul limit for a player	None	Five
Team foul penalty	From the 7th foul of the game, more from the 10th	From the 5th foul of each period
Time-outs	One of 30 seconds	Five of one minute

The numbering of the articles follows the five-a-side book, with unused numbers left blank so that the two can be compared.

The glossary has 3x3 basketball, the check-ball, clearing the ball and the shot clock.

Tricky cases

Are travelling and double dribble the same in both games?

Yes. Those articles are carried over from the five-a-side rules.

Is the arc in 3x3 closer than the three-point line?

No. It is the same line, 6.75 metres from the basket.

Is 3x3 an Olympic sport?

Yes. The rules name the Olympic Games among the events that must use the official court colours and that allow challenges.

Is the 3x3 game played with the same ball?

No. The rules require a 3x3 ball. Its size and weight are in the equipment appendix, which was not read for this page.

Why the rule exists

Each difference follows from the setting. One basket means the ball has to be taken out before a new attack. Four players means no foul limit and no coach. A game short enough to be played many times a day means a low shot clock and a target score.

Where it differs

Where	What changes	Source
FIBA 3x3 rules	The left-hand column	Articles cited on the other pages of this set
FIBA five-a-side rules	The right-hand column	../5x5/
Under-12 3x3	Lower basket, no shot clock, no team foul penalty, no time-outs, first basket wins in overtime	Appendix E

From the rule book

FIBA, Official 3x3 Basketball Rules 2026 (valid as of 1 January 2026), Articles 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 17, 18, 29, 30 and 41, and Appendix E. The five-a-side column is from FIBA, Official Basketball Rules 2026. Official document:FIBA Official 3x3 Basketball Rules (PDF).