UTSUNOMIYA (Japan) - The time has finally arrived for the new season of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour and 2024 promises to be different. 

Ahead of the blockbuster 13th edition, let's go through several burning questions. 

Will Strahinja Stojacic continue to wear the crown? 

No one has dominated the World Tour quite like Strahinja Stojacic over the last couple of seasons. It's been Dr Strange's multiverse and everyone has to bow down to the king of the half-court. 

He's been undisputedly the best player, but don't think Stojacic is content just yet. Oh no, he's now gunning for the GOAT with Dusan Bulut in his sights. It's the MJ-LeBron great debate of 3x3. 

We just know Stojacic has used the off-season finding ways to somehow get even better as he starts 2024 on the throne. 

Will Ub Huishan NE again be unstoppable? 

Speaking of Stojacic, will his team Ub again be the ones to beat in 2024? It's hard to go past this unstoppable force, whose main core fit so perfectly. 

These dudes know nothing else but recording Ws, especially legendary Dejan Majstorovic who remains 'The Maestro' of 3x3. But even a team so great as Ub know they can't just stand still amid a World Tour getting deeper and more talented. 

They've added one of 3x3's best ever - Stefan Stojacic, the older bro of 'Dr Strange' who taught him all the tricks. 

Ub want to stamp themselves as 3x3's best ever team and it would be foolish to bet against them. 

How will Partizan and Riffa bounce back? 

Ub aren't the only spectacular Serbs, with Partizan making the leap in 2023 to be a serious force on the World Tour after winning the Manama Masters.

But they fell short in the Jeddah Final after bowing out in the semis and there are question marks with Manama MVP Marko Stevanovic defecting to Liman. 

Partizan should feel confident of remaining in the top tier with Stefan Milivojevic aka 'The Gladiator' set to make the half-court his personal colosseum. 

Riffa are the artists formerly known as Antwerp TOPdesk, but these dudes remain brilliant on the half-court. 

They've already started the pro circuit strongly with Dennis Donkor remaining a two-way force, while Thibaut Vervoort has reunited with his former teammates and shown glimpses of being 'Must See TV' after being the hottest show a few seasons ago. 

Who will be the new players to watch? 

As always, there will be new stars emerging to underline the growth of the World Tour with top talent eager to take part. 

There are a couple of young guns poised to become legit superstars on the World Tour. Having lit up junior competitions, teenagers Denzel Agyeman and Fabian Giessmann are ready to take their talents to the World Tour and lead emerging German team St Pauli.  

This dynamic duo are ready to put on a show on the half-court. Buckle up because watching these dunking machines is absolutely must watch entertainment. 

Which team will surprise? 

It feels time for hoops power Spain to make a stand in 3x3 and they might just make a mark in 2024 through Barcelona, who looked mightily impressive after making the final at the Super Liga Pro 3x3 Espana 2024. 

That's where we saw sniper Jaume Zanca heat up and he looms as a new assassin on the World Tour. 

Can Hype Worthy hit the magical 10 ppg mark? 

Worthy de Jong was on a heater all of 2023 - his first full season on the World Tour.

He put up Wilt Chamberlain numbers to average a mind blowing 9.3 ppg - the same mark he recently hit at the FIBA 3x3 Universality Olympic Qualifying Tournament 1 in Hong Kong. 

But can he go even better and average the holy grail mark of 10 ppg? It seems like Mission Impossible, but de Jong is the 3x3 version of Tom Cruise and defies difficult situations with his high-flying stunts and jaw-dropping moves to the basket. 

We can't wait to see this human scoring machine attempt to do something no one else has ever dared dream of. 

Who are the key recruits? 

Some teams will be boosted by key additions, which might turn the World Tour on its head. We've already mentioned Stefan Stojacic to Ub, Thibaut Verboot to Riffa and Marko Stevanovic, who has fitted in superbly for a Liman team looking scarily good to start this new pro circuit season. 

But we just can't ignore magician Malik Hluchoweckyj, who looms as a major spark for Lausanne in what should be a dynamic partnership with fellow ball-handling wiz Gilles Martin.

Lausanne has started the season in fine form and might just reach the absolute top tier of the World Tour in 2024. 

FIBA