Basketball's increasingly global reach was showcased once again at the London Olympic Games, with perhaps the deepest international field ever produced.
But FIBA, the International Basketball Federation, still sees room for growth.
In an attempt to expand basketball's worldwide popularity, FIBA is making a significant push for 3-on-3 basketball, which is commonly played at parks, playgrounds and schoolyards across the country.
The group, which already sponsors a 3-on-3 world tour and world championship, is trying to establish a world rankings system that could help the game become an Olympic sport. Perhaps as soon as the 2016 Rio Games.
"Like volleyball has beach volleyball, swimming has synchronized swimming, we want three-on-three to be part of it," FIBA Secretary-general Patrick Baumann told USA Today.
A global three-on-three structure could allow smaller countries to participate in the Olympics, and FIBA hopes that might lead to a trickle-down effect in countries that are not traditional basketball powerhouses.
Still, an expanded global reach for 3-on-3 basketball won't make it easier to beat any team with LeBron James.
-- Follow Robbie Levin on Twitter @RobbieLevin.
