This weekend, hundreds of 3x3 basketball competitors, coaches, volunteers, fans and family will descend on San Juan, Puerto Rico for the first-ever Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup. The event — featuring 19 men's teams and 17 women's teams, representing international delegations from around the globe — will be a showcase of the power of diversity and inclusion, and you won't want to miss a minute.
How can I watch the Special Olympics Unified 3x3 Basketball World Cup?
The Opening Ceremonies will be held Thursday, Dec. 4 at 6:00 p.m. EST. Competition begins Friday morning, at 8:00 a.m. EST and runs through Sunday evening. You can check out the full schedule at the event website.
The competition, beginning with the Opening Ceremony, will be livestreamed on YouTube, meaning you can follow the competition and celebration all weekend, no matter where you are.
What are Unified Sports?
Unified Sports is one of Special Olympics most important programs, with athletes with and without intellectual disabilities competing side-by-side. The underlying premise is pure inclusion: "training together and playing together is a quick path to friendship and understanding."
But the structure of Unified Sports still allows for plenty of competition. In the words of Special Olympics, "teams are made up of people of similar age and ability. That makes practices more fun and games more challenging and exciting for all. Having sport in common is just one more way that preconceptions and false ideas are swept away."
Unified Sports programs began in the 1980s and today, are available in more than 190 countries with more 2 million participants. In addition, Unified Sports programs have spread to high schools and middle schools, and Special Olympics has launched their Unified with Refugees program, making sure their inclusion revolution is truly accessible to as many people as possible.
What countries are participating in the 3x3 World Cup?
The draw for this tournament was announced in September, with teams on both the men's and women's sides organized into groups for the opening rounds of group play. The United States is not competing on the men's side, but will on the women's side, in Group A with Uruguay, India, Morocco and Paraguay.
How does 3x3 Unified Basketball work?
3x3 basketball has developed into its own distinct sport over the past decade, joining the Summer Olympics in 2020 and the Special Olympics World Summer Games in 2023. The rule differences are pretty simple:
- Two teams of three players
- Games played on one basket, halfcourt
- Games are generally 10 minutes long, with no break after scoring
- 12-second shotclock
- Game ends when one teams reaches 21 points
Unified 3x3 basketball adds the wrinkle of competitors with and without intellectual disabilities competing together.
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