MIES, Switzerland, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- FIBA Secretary General Andreas Zagklis has described 2024 as a record-breaking year for 3x3 basketball.

Zagklis talked to the media at the annual end-of-year video conference on Monday, giving full credit to the development of 3x3 basketball after a successful competition at the Place de la Concorde at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.

"For 3x3, it's a record-breaking year in terms of events and social media," Zagklis remarked.

According to Zagklis, FIBA has more than 57 million followers on all its platforms, and five billion views on its social media.

"We continue to believe in the showcase and certainly outreach potential that the Olympics give to the basketball side," he added.

Discussing the future of 3x3 basketball, Zagklis said the format gives smaller countries more opportunities to reach podiums in major international competitions.

"Madagascar challenged and even beat France at the World Cup. Mongolia led in the men's Olympic Qualifying Tournaments twice before missing the last shot to go to the Olympics. Latvia won the gold medal [at the Tokyo Olympics] in 2021, and now we have the Netherlands as the world champions."

"We do believe that 3x3 makes our sport more democratic, allowing countries of smaller population and countries with less infrastructure to have the Olympic dream alive and have it very accessible," the FIBA secretary general noted.

Zagklis said the 3x3 basketball competition at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games will have 12 teams, a number that FIBA is also seeking for LA28 and Brisbane 2032. Paris 2024 featured eight teams for each gender in 3x3 basketball.

"We are already applying for that [12 teams] for 2028 ... There is little doubt that 3x3 will be followed very closely in LA, and loved by the local audience. I expect 3x3 to really go to the next level in LA28," he added. Enditem

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