WUHAN, China — The seventh edition of the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup delivered another compelling glimpse into the future of 3x3 basketball, with Lithuania defending their men's crown, the USA reclaiming women's gold and a host of young stars making their mark in Wuhan.
From dramatic pool-phase finishes to knockout-round comebacks and championship-deciding moments, here are the biggest takeaways from the tournament.
Lithuania building a dynasty
Lithuania entered Wuhan as the defending men's champions. They leave as back-to-back FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup winners. After going 4-0 in Pool D, Lithuania navigated a challenging knockout bracket, defeating New Zealand 21-17 in the Quarter-Finals and Serbia 22-15 in the Semi-Finals before edging Latvia 19-18 in a tense Final.
The championship was another chapter in Lithuania's impressive U23 story, with the team once again finding a way through the biggest moments. Against Serbia, they had to withstand a physical Semi-Final before eventual Men's MVP Paulius Velutis produced the decisive step-back two-pointer to send Lithuania through. In the Final, Latvia repeatedly threatened to turn the game around and very nearly sent the game into overtime, but Lithuania held their nerve to close out another World Cup title.
The message is clear: Lithuania remain the team to beat at the Men's U23 level.
USA back on top
The USA women had waited since 2024 to reclaim the U23 World Cup crown. In Wuhan, they did exactly that. The Americans overcame the defending champions Netherlands 21-17 in the Quarter-Finals before defeating Spain 21-16 in the Semi-Finals.
Canada then awaited in the Final, having reached the championship game for the first time in U23 World Cup history. It was a low-scoring battle, with neither team able to pull away for long. Canada led 9-7 at one stage, but the USA regained control and eventually closed out a 15-10 victory. The result delivered the USA's second Women's U23 World Cup title, following their triumph in 2024.
Raising the bar
The FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup is designed to showcase the players who will shape the future of international 3x3 basketball, and Wuhan offered plenty of evidence that the talent pool continues to grow. The tournament featured teams from across Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe and Oceania, creating a genuinely global test for the next generation.
New Zealand's Joshua Book summed up the appeal of the competition after his team reached the Quarter-Finals.
"The World Cup, it features teams from Africa, Europe, the Americas, the whole world," Book said. "It's the best that the under-23s has to offer." The depth was evident throughout the week, with pool-phase surprises, close knockout games and several teams pushing established programs to the limit.
MVPs showed out
The tournament's two MVPs embodied the quality and consistency required to go all the way. Victoria Elizabeth Mckinney played a major role in the USA's championship campaign before being named Women's MVP. She finished with 30 total points, 12 drives and a 44.7 total player value, ranked fifth in the tournament. She saved another all-around performance for the Final, contributing six points, six rebounds, eight highlights and three blocks.
On the Men's side, Paulius Velutis was instrumental in Lithuania's title defense. Velutis recorded 47 total points, third-most in the tournament, along with 26 highlights, ranked second, and 13 drives, also ranked second. His 60.9 total player value ranked third overall. Most importantly, his biggest moments came when Lithuania needed them most.
Big moments decide everything
If there was another lesson from Wuhan, it was a familiar one in 3x3 basketball: games can turn in an instant.
Australia's William Mahoney provided one of the clearest examples. After Serbia tied the Men's third-place game at 20-20 late in regulation, Mahoney scored the decisive basket in overtime to give Australia their first-ever U23 World Cup medal.
Latvia also produced a dramatic comeback against Australia in the Men's Semi-Finals, overcoming a 19-17 deficit to win 21-18 and reach the Final. And in the women's tournament, Canada erased a five-point deficit against Australia in the Quarter-Finals before eventually winning 19-16.
These showed that while the margins were tiny, the rewards were enormous.
Memorable Wuhan
The seventh edition of the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup ultimately belonged to Lithuania and the USA, but the tournament offered much more than two championship stories.
Canada reached their first Women's Final. Australia claimed their first Men's U23 World Cup medal. Spain secured back-to-back Women's bronze medals. And a new generation of players gained valuable experience on one of 3x3 basketball's biggest stages.
With the world's best young players continuing to develop and transition toward the senior level, the FIBA 3x3 U23 World Cup once again provided a glimpse of what is coming next.
For now, Lithuania men and the USA women leave Wuhan as champions. But the future of 3x3 basketball looks brighter than ever.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 Cups tournaments throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official FIBA 3x3 website, where you can find the latest news, star players and everything you need to know. Fans can also keep track of the Event Calendar and the latest FIBA 3x3 Individual and Federation Rankings as teams and players continue their push toward the season finale.
Want to learn more about 3x3 basketball? Explore the official FIBA 3x3 Rules to understand the unique fast-paced format of the game, or discover the FIBA 3x3 Competition Structure to see how the discipline’s global pathway connects grassroots events, professional tours and world-class international competitions.
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