One of the most fun events in the Olympic Games is the 3×3 basketball competition, which speeds up the pace of basketball while shortening the games for maximum chaos and entertainment. In women’s 3×3 basketball, the United States enters Paris as the reigning gold medalists, but they will face a difficult path to a repeat performance. Here, we break down the Olympic women’s 3×3 basketball competition and pick our winner for the gold this time around.
Olympic Women’s 3×3 Basketball Betting Odds
| Team | Gold Medal Odds |
| USA | +160 |
| Canada | +300 |
| France | +350 |
| Australia | +400 |
| China | +650 |
| Spain | +1400 |
| Germany | +2500 |
| Azerbaijan | +4000 |
Odds from DraftKings Sportsbook
Going into the women’s 3×3 basketball competition, the United States is the favorite to come away with the gold. But there are several teams within striking distance on the board for this tournament. Unlike the women’s 5×5 basketball tournament, the gold medal is far from a sure thing for the United States, even if the reputation of the Americans in basketball is that of an invincible basketball team.
Olympic Women’s 3×3 Basketball Major Storylines
Injuries might be the biggest storyline going into the 3×3 women’s basketball competition in Paris. The United States had to replace Cameron Brink due to a season-ending knee injury she suffered in the WNBA with the LA Sparks. And they are also bringing an injured Rhyne Howard to the games, who we have seen play just once since mid-June after she suffered an injury earlier in the season.
Another huge storyline going into this competition is the potential for home-court advantage for France. France has been one of the better 3×3 basketball nations in the world over the last few years and they should have the backing of crowds in Paris. That could mean a perfect storm for the French en route to the gold, or it could serve as a set of obstacles that another team overcomes en route to the gold.
Olympic Women’s 3×3 Basketball Medal Contenders
The top medal contender in this competition is the United States, despite the injury concerns they are dealing with. Cameron Brink was replaced by Dearica Hamby, who is joined by Howard, Cierra Burdick, and Hailey Van Lith. Hamby and Howard are all-world talents when healthy, but there are legitimate concerns about the ability of Burdick and Van Lith to deliver on this stage. This team is nowhere near as good as the gold medal squad the Americans brought to the last Olympic games, though it could still win gold.
Outside of the Americans, the top contenders to win medals are France, Australia, and Canada. The French have finished in the top-two in the last two 3×3 world championships and are playing on home soil. Meanwhile, Canada has the top-three players in the 3×3 individual player rankings on the women’s side in Katherine Plouffe, Paige Crozon, and Michelle Plouffe and their cohesion could be more valuable than the overall talent level of the Americans.
Women’s 3×3 Basketball Betting Prediction: Canada (+300)
Betting against a team from the United States in Olympic basketball might be a tough sell, but 3×3 basketball is the place to do that if there is one. We expect the United States to fall short in this competition, as this group is not nearly as good as it was at the Tokyo Olympics. Instead, we will go with Canada to win this tournament, as they have a ton of talent specific to the 3×3 game and they should be able to hassle the Americans, French, and anyone else they face in this event.
