Amsterdam Rabobank won the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Bucharest Stop for the second consecutive year, played over the weekend of 10–11 October at ParkLake Shopping Center. The premier competition in world 3×3 basketball drew 40,000 people to the event area across the two days, who watched all 25 games as well as the entertainment acts during the breaks.
The defending champions had a perfect run in Bucharest. Amsterdam entered the tournament through the qualifying draw, yet won all seven games they played before beating Spain’s Fuengirola 19-17 in the final. The decisive bucket came from Worthy de Jong, who sealed the game with a spectacular two-pointer over two defenders.
Amsterdam Rabobank will receive USD 40,000 for the Bucharest victory, out of a total prize pool of USD 132,000.
For Fuengirola, reaching the final was a first. The Spanish side became the first team from Spain to play in a FIBA 3×3 World Tour final. Miami, representing the United States, finished third, with Kaunas VDU of Lithuania in fourth. Cluj, Romania’s representative at this stop, finished 12th.
Worthy de Jong, Decisive Once Again
Dutch star Worthy de Jong was named MVP of the Bucharest stop. The Paris 2024 Olympic champion finished the tournament with 46 points, and in the semifinal win over Miami he scored 16 of his team’s 21 points. It is Amsterdam’s second title this season, following their win in Vienna.
De Jong received the MVP trophy from Dušan Bulut, regarded as the defining player of his generation, with four World Cup titles and four FIBA 3×3 World Tour titles. The two titans of 3×3 basketball bowed to each other in a memorable moment.
The trophies were presented by Alex Sanchez, FIBA 3×3 Executive Director, and Carmen Tocală, President of the Romanian Basketball Federation and of the FIBA 3×3 Commission.
The show went beyond the official games. Lucas Ugolin of Toulouse won the Two-Point Contest, presented by the Romanian Basketball Federation, while England’s Jeremiah Walker took the Slam Dunk Contest, presented by BCR. It was Walker’s third win of the season, after Vienna and Lausanne.
ParkLake Shopping Center, Once Again at the Heart of the Global 3×3 Spectacle
For two days, the official 3×3 court installed in the ParkLake Shopping Center atrium was once again the main attraction. Besides the high-level games, spectators got the chance to step onto the official court and take part in contests in the same space where, only minutes earlier, the stars of the global circuit had been playing.
The breaks between games were brought to life by dance troupes, cheerleaders and artists from the Metropolitan Circus of Bucharest.
FIBA 3×3 World Tour Bucharest was broadcast live worldwide on the FIBA 3×3 YouTube channel and on Olympic Channel, while in Romania it could be watched on Prima Sport and on the Facebook page of Eurosport Romania.
The event was organized by FIBA 3×3 in partnership with the Romanian Basketball Federation and Sport Arena Streetball, and was supported by ParkLake Shopping Center, BCR, Mastercard, Regina Maria, BCR Leasing, Popeyes and Subaru Motors Trading. FIBA 3×3 partners are Wilson and 14Fourteen.
