MANAMA (Bahrain) - The best ever FIBA 3x3 World Tour season ended in fitting style at the Manama Final on November 21-22 with top-ranked Ub (SRB) capping a dominant 2025 with an epic triumph.
Before we depart into the off-season and have to find something else to do with our time, let's recap 3x3's showpiece event. Ub are the best to ever do it
Anyone who doubted them should be waking up feeling rather foolish. After going cold at the end of the regular season, the spectacular Serbs arrived in Manama with some question marks. They erased any doubts with a brilliant run when it mattered most against the best teams on the planet. Ub defeated Riffa (BRN) and Vienna (AUT) in the knockouts before surviving a quarter-final epic against reigning champion Amsterdam Rabobank (NED).
But that proved their biggest scare with Ub overcoming red-hot Skyliners (GER) in the semis before taking out the title over Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU). Their triumph was built on gritty defense as they suffocated the offensive firepower of opponents.
It capped maybe the GOAT season from the GOAT, with Ub winning their seventh title from 14 Stops. In such an increasingly loaded WT, with so many talented new teams bobbing up, Ub are just at another level.
This latest victory might be their most special given that talisman Dejan Majstorovic, the heart and soul of the team, missed the second half of the season after a mid-year injury. It didn't matter because Ub's depth, chemistry and determination proved once again a class above the rest as they ended the season No.1 for the third time in the last four years.
Stojacic wears the crown
After being the best player of the regular season, Stojacic capped his GOAT season with an MVP effort in Manama following his team high 36 points and tournament high player value score of 46.8.
Stojacic's masterpiece was a 12-point, 4-highlight domination of Skyliners as 'Doctor Strange' again proved that the half-court is his multiverse.
After rival Worthy de Jong finished 2024 with the crown, Stojacic has snatched it back in style to remind everyone that he is one of the GOATs.
Time to give Pukelis his flowers
We all know Aurelijus Pukelis is a superstar. The giant Lithuanian has won multiple WT MVPs and he's also an Olympian medalist. But he also deserves to be on the shortlist of best ever WT players after another ridiculous season.
Pukelis was at times overshadowed by the emergence of teammate Evaldas Dziaugys, who took his game to new heights to become a legit star. But Pukelis remains the heartbeat of Raudondvaris Hoptrans, who finished with a runner-up performance in Manama.
Pukelis was lethal as always, finishing No.1 in points (44) and No.2 in player-value (46.7). He's simply one of the very best to ever lace them up.
Skyliners and Hangzhou aren't far away
Trying to foreshadow who might be the biggest challengers to Ub next year and two new powers spring to mind. Skyliners and Hangzhou (CHN) both became legit powers in 2025, reinforced by semi-final finishes in Manama.
Skyliners created history in Abu Dhabi when they became the first German team to win on the WT and they are just beginning. The recruitment of legendary Stefan Kojic has proven a masterstroke and helped escalate the development of young gung Leon Fertig, who was one of the very best players in Manama.
Hangzhou were not able to win a title this season, but they were mightily consistent and went deep in Manama. High-flyer Aleksander Lazic became a firm fan favorite and while he didn't play in Manama, Hangzhou showed off their depth of talent with Goran Vidovic taking the lead role.
Both teams will be expected to take a further step in 2026 as they bid for the crown.
Manama is a top 3x3 destination
After hosting regular season stops in previous WT seasons, Bahrain's capital of Manama went into overdrive when it hosted the biggest show on the calendar.
Manama delivered a World Tour Final for the ages at the Bahrain Harbour North, which has now cemented itself as one of the best 3x3 venues on the planet. FIBA