3x3 Basketball vs Basketball (FIBA) — Same Game, Different Rules

Each successful free throw is worth 1 point.

Personal fouls in the act of shooting: free throws are awarded as in 5-on-5 basketball; Free throw outside the arc: 2 free throws; Free throw inside the arc: 1 free throw

Value: 1 point each; Awarded for: Personal fouls on a shooter (2 free throws for a two-point attempt, 3 for a three-point attempt), unsportsmanlike fouls (2 free throws + possession), disqualifying fouls, technical fouls (1 free throw in FIBA, 2 in NBA); Team foul bonus: Starting from the 5th tea...

FIBA follows the IOC consensus on concussion in sport: any player with a suspected concussion is removed from play and is subject to a graduated return-to-play assessment before being cleared for subsequent competition. Match-day diagnosis is the ...

FIBA has implemented comprehensive concussion management procedures for all Level 1 and Level 2 competitions: Recognition: Any player suspected of sustaining a concussion must be immediately removed from the game for evaluation; Assessment: The FIBA Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) is used...

1 point for a field goal made from inside the 6.75 m arc (a "deuce" worth 1 in 3x3, distinct from the 2-point deuce in 5-on-5); 2 points for a field goal made from beyond the 6.75 m arc (a "trey" worth 2 in 3x3, distinct from the 3-point trey in 5-on-5); The 1/2 scoring scale is the most distinct...

Two-point field goal: A shot made from inside the three-point line scores 2 points; Three-point field goal: A shot made from behind the 6.75m (22.15ft) three-point arc scores 3 points. The shooter's feet must be entirely behind the line at the point of release. If a foot is on the line, it counts...

Traveling: same standard as 5-on-5 basketball; loss of possession; Double dribble: same standard as 5-on-5; loss of possession; Out of bounds: ball awarded to opposing team at check-ball area

3-second violation: An offensive player may not remain in the restricted area (paint) for more than 3 consecutive seconds — same as NBA; 5-second violation: On throw-ins, a player must release the ball within 5 seconds. A closely guarded player holding the ball must pass, shoot, or dribble within...

If the game is tied at the end of regulation (neither team reached 21 before time expired and both have equal points), untimed overtime is played: the first team to score 2 points in overtime wins. There is no overtime clock; play continues from t...

If the score is tied at the end of the fourth quarter, a 5-minute overtime period is played — same as NBA; Overtime starts with a jump ball at center court; Each team receives 1 timeout per overtime period

Personal fouls in 3x3 are tracked at the team level (not per-player); Up to 6 team fouls per game are non-bonus fouls; Starting with the team's 7th, 8th, and 9th team foul, the opposing team shoots 2 free throws

Limit: 5 personal fouls per player (NBA allows 6); Types: Contact fouls (pushing, holding, charging, blocking, hand-checking), shooting fouls, offensive fouls, loose ball fouls; Penalty: The fouled team receives a throw-in, unless the foul was on a shooter (free throws) or the team is in the bonu...

Size 6 (28.5 inches / 72.4 cm circumference) — sized between a women's 5-on-5 ball and a men's 5-on-5 ball; Weight equivalent to a men's 5-on-5 basketball (approximately 580-620 g); FIBA-approved 3x3 ball with grooved grip pattern designed for outdoor use

FIBA approves specific balls for official competition. The Molten BG5000 is the official game ball for major FIBA competitions.

The check-ball restart area is the top of the arc at the half-court line opposite the basket. After a made basket and on out-of-bounds restarts in specific scenarios, the offensive team takes the ball at the check-ball spot and passes it to a defe...

The FIBA court is smaller than the NBA court: Length: 28 meters (91.86 feet) — NBA is 28.65m (94 feet); Width: 15 meters (49.21 feet) — NBA is 15.24m (50 feet); Surface: Hardwood or synthetic surface with uniform bounce characteristics

3x3 is unique among FIBA disciplines in that coaches are not permitted on the bench during play in standard FIBA 3x3 competition — the players themselves manage strategy, substitutions, and timeout...

FIBA teams have a smaller roster than NBA teams: Roster: Maximum 12 players eligible per game (NBA allows 13 active + 2 inactive); On court: 5 players per team at all times; Captain: Each team must designate a captain on the scoresheet. The captain is the only player who may address officials abo...

If the game is tied at the end of regulation (neither team reached 21 before time expired and both have equal points), untimed overtime is played: the first team to score 2 points in overtime wins. There is no overtime clock; play continues from t...

A FIBA game consists of 4 × 10-minute quarters (40 minutes total), compared to the NBA's 4 × 12-minute quarters (48 minutes): Quarters: 4 periods of 10 minutes each; Half-time interval: 15 minutes (can be extended to 20 minutes for major events); Between quarters: 2-minute interval between the fi...

Each successful free throw is worth 1 point.

This is a major rule difference from the NBA: Two-point field goal: A shot made from inside the three-point line scores 2 points; Three-point field goal: A shot made from behind the 6.75m (22.15ft) three-point arc scores 3 points. The shooter's feet must be entirely behind the line at the point o...

If the offensive team fails to attempt a rim-contacting shot within 12 seconds, the defensive team gains possession at the check-ball area.

FIBA's traveling rules are stricter than the NBA's: Gather step: FIBA recognizes a gather step (step "zero") since 2017, allowing a player receiving the ball while moving to take two additional steps. However, the interpretation is generally stricter than the NBA's, where the gather step is more ...

FIBA follows the IOC consensus on concussion in sport: any player with a suspected concussion is removed from play and is subject to a graduated return-to-play assessment before being cleared for subsequent competition. Match-day diagnosis is the ...

FIBA has implemented comprehensive concussion management procedures for all Level 1 and Level 2 competitions: Recognition: Any player suspected of sustaining a concussion must be immediately removed from the game for evaluation; Assessment: The FIBA Sport Concussion Assessment Tool (SCAT) is used...

12-second shot clock — the offensive team must attempt a shot within 12 seconds of gaining possession; A shot must hit the rim to satisfy the shot clock; an air ball that misses the rim entirely is a shot clock violation; The shot clock resets on a change of possession and on offensive rebounds

Display: Must be visible on all four sides of the court, positioned above each backboard and on the scorer's table; Duration: 24-second countdown — same as NBA

Each team has a roster of 4 players total; 3 players on the court at any time; 1 substitute available throughout the game

FIBA teams have a smaller roster than NBA teams: Roster: Maximum 12 players eligible per game (NBA allows 13 active + 2 inactive); On court: 5 players per team at all times; Captain: Each team must designate a captain on the scoresheet. The captain is the only player who may address officials abo...

Each team has one 30-second timeout per game; Timeouts are called by the players on the court (since coaches are not permitted to direct from the bench); The clock stops during the timeout

FIBA timeout rules are much more restrictive than the NBA: First half: 2 timeouts per team; Second half: 3 timeouts per team (maximum 2 in the last 2 minutes); Overtime: 1 timeout per team per overtime period