How many players are in a 3x3 team, and is there a coach?
I · Intermediate · The game · 1 of 7Four players: three on the court and one substitute. There is no coach in the game. Coaching from outside the court is not allowed, and any communication between players and a coach during the game is a technical foul. Substitutions are made by the players themselves at any dead ball.
How it works
- Four: a team has at most four members, three players on the court and one substitute.
- Starting: in FIBA official competitions a game cannot start unless both teams have three players ready.
- No coaching: coaching players on the court or on the substitution seat from outside the court is not allowed.
- When to substitute: when the ball is dead, before the check-ball or the free throw.
- How: behind the end line, the line opposite the basket. No signal from a referee or the table is needed.
- Becoming a player: the substitute becomes a player when the team-mate steps off the court.
- Kit: numbered shirts and shorts of one colour. The first-named team wears the light colour.
- Injury: a player who cannot continue within about 15 seconds, or who is treated, must be substituted. A bleeding player must leave until the bleeding stops or the wound is covered.
The glossary has the team and substitution.
Tricky cases
Can a team play with only three players and no substitute?
Yes. Four is the maximum. Three ready players are what a game needs to start.
Can a coach shout instructions from the stands?
No. Coaching from outside the court is not allowed, and communication between players and coaches during the game is listed as a technical foul.
Can a team substitute while the ball is live?
No. Substitution is allowed only when the ball is dead and the game clock is stopped.
A team is down to two players through injury. Does it lose?
No, not for that alone. A team loses by default when it leaves the court before the end or when all of its players are injured or disqualified.
Why the rule exists
3x3 is meant to be run by its players. With no coach and no bench, the four players pick their own tactics, their own substitutions and their own time-out. That also keeps the sport cheap to enter: a team is four people.
Where it differs
| Where | What changes | Source |
|---|---|---|
| FIBA 3x3 rules | Four players, no coach in the game | Art. 4.2.1 |
| Grassroots | The three-player start rule and the forfeit rule are not compulsory | Art. 9.3; Art. 20.1 |
| Five-a-side basketball | Twelve players, five on court, a head coach and unlimited substitutions through the table | ../5x5/ set |
From the rule book
FIBA, Official 3x3 Basketball Rules 2026 (valid as of 1 January 2026), Articles 4.1 to 4.4, 5.3, 5.6, 9.3, 19.2 to 19.5, 21.1 and 36.2.1. Checked 14 October 2026 against a Korean-language copy; check the English text before publishing. Official document: FIBA Official 3x3 Basketball Rules (PDF).