Now that the dust has settled on Cameron Brink’s season-ending ACL injury, there are a lot of Team USA questions coming up. The biggest one is can Caitlin Clark or Angel Reese take her spot on the Team USA 3×3 basketball team for the Paris Olympics? Brink was set to play on the 3×3 squad while Clark is an alternate for the better-known 5×5 team. Unfortunately, USA basketball is not able to just pick any player to take her spot to be in accordance with FIBA rules. Neither Clark nor Reese is eligible to join the 3×3 team. We’ll get into that and who might get the nod for you below. 

What are the FIBA Rules to be on the 3×3 Basketball Roster for a Country? 

FIBA has a ruleset governing what players can be used for a 3×3 basketball roster for a country. With the Paris Olympics coming up quickly on July 26th, replacing Brink isn’t as straightforward as just picking the best available player for the open positions for the 3×3 team. Every athlete that is able to play 3×3 with FIBA has to be registered.

Those players get an individual ranking based on the nine best tournaments they play in during the past 12 months (FIBA-endorsed ones). Then, the Olympic team must have two players ranked in the top 10 in their country. Another two must be ranked in the top 50 or have the minimum number of ranking points. Unfortuantely neither Clark nor Reese meet these requirements. 

Who Else is on the 3×3 Women’s Basketball Team (USA)? 

The current Team USA 3×3 roster includes several players. They are: former WNBA player Cierra Burdick, Atlanta Dream guard Rhyne Howard, and TCU guard Hailey Van Lith. Burdick and Van Lith are both ranked in the top 10 in the country. So, the replacement for Brink needs to be in the top 50 of American players and played at least some 3-on-3 sanctioned by FIBA. Other stars who have not satisfied this requirement over the past year include Indiana Fever star Aliyah Boston or Washington Mystics forward Stefanie Dolson.

What Players are Eligible to Take Cameron Brink’s Spot on Team USA? 

There are a number of players that you likely have not heard of who are eligible to take Brink’s spot on the roster. Some of the players that have the greatest odds at BC Game Casino to make the team include Dearica Hamby from the LA Sparks; Katie Lou Samuelson from the Indiana Fever; Allisha Gray of the Atlanta Dream; and Sarah Strong from UConn are on the short list. Brink’s teammate, Hamby has strong odds at being the pick to take her place on the team. As soon as we hear something on the 3×3 basketball roster, we’ll let you know. 

2020 Olympic 3×3 Basketball Highlights

Here are the highlights from the 2020 Olympic 3×3 women’s gold medal game for basketball.