Section 4: Players & Officials
Team Composition
- Each team has a roster of 4 players total
- 3 players on the court at any time
- 1 substitute available throughout the game
- Substitutions are unlimited and made on a dead ball when the substituting team has possession of the ball; the player being replaced exits, the substitute taps in by physical contact
Officials
- One or two on-court referees
- Scorer/timekeeper at the table
- Shot-clock operator
- Commissioner/Technical Delegate for FIBA-sanctioned World Tour and World Cup events
Coaches and Bench
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 timeouts. The substitute and team officials sit in the designated bench area but may not direct play from the sideline during live action.
Game Start
The game starts with a coin toss to determine which team gets first possession (no jump ball). The team winning the toss may choose to start with the ball or to start on defense.