UTSUNOMIYA (Japan) - The wait is over. The FIBA 3x3 World Tour is back, and as always, the Utsunomiya Opener sets the tone for the season. With a loaded field featuring top-ranked teams like Ub, Miami, Amsterdam and Liman, the 2026 campaign tips off with storylines already building across the professional circuit.
Here are the biggest questions heading into Utsunomiya.
Can Ub stay on top?
Ub enter the new season with a target on their backs once again. The Serbian powerhouse has defined consistency on the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, combining structure, chemistry and elite execution in the half-court game.
That said, the margin at the top continues to shrink. Teams are retooling, and new talents have entered the circuit. Now, the question is no longer just whether Ub are the best. It's whether they can stay ahead of a field that is catching up fast.
Which new addition will make the biggest impact?
The offseason reshaped several rosters, and a few moves could immediately shift the balance of power.
Stefan 'The Gladiator' Milivojevic left Partizan, and he's now ready to raise the ceiling for Liman. Filip Kaluderovic was formerly the main muscle for Hangzhou, but he's not going to play a major role for Ub. It's the 3x3 basketball equivalent of the rich getting richer.
Meanwhile, Dimeo van der Horst’s transfer from Utrecht back to Amsterdam has turned a lot of heads. Watching Dimeo on the same court as Worhty de Jong this year on the World Tour? Yes, please.
Latvian 3x3 basketball icon Nauris Miezis has also joined Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy from Chongming. Miezis certainly gives the Mongolian side a refreshing dimension as an eliter playmaker and shooter. We also cannot overlook the transfer of no less than FIBA 3x3 World Cup 2025 MVP Guim Expósito from Barcelona and now to Deqing. He'll surely improve that team's chances this year.
Elsewhere, roster changes across the circuit signal a more open race this season. The question is simple: which new piece clicks fastest under the FIBA 3x3 World Tour's bright lights?
Who are the new players to watch?
Every World Tour season introduces new names, and Utsunomiya is often where they break out.
One of the headliners is US NCAA champion and former NBA player Kyle Guy, who joins Phoenix for his FIBA 3x3 World Tour debut. His shooting range and pro experience bring a different offensive dimension to a team looking to break into contender status. He won't play in Utsunomiya, but make no mistake -- he's one guy to watch this season.
Emerging talents like Alexis Dargenton (Toulouse FRA) and Dun Jiawei (Shanghai CHN) represent the next wave of players stepping onto the World Tour stage, looking to make an immediate impact against elite competition.
Which team can surprise?
Every opener delivers a breakout team. This year, Taipei WanBao might just fit the profile.
With a mix of international experience and dynamic playmakers like Leonardo Branquinho and Nikola Kovacevic, they have the pieces to disrupt more established teams.
The question is whether they can convert potential into results against top-tier opposition right from the opening stop.
Can Skyliners continue their rise?
One of the most intriguing storylines is the trajectory of Skyliners .
After winning FIBA 3x3 World Tour Abu Dhabi 2025 and coming fresh from their conquest of the FIBA 3x3 Hengqin Challenger, the Germans arrive in Utsunomiya as a legitimate threat rather than an underdog. These young guns are steadily climbing the ranks. Their structure and physicality have made them increasingly difficult to break down.
Now comes the next step: can they turn consistency into more podium finishes, or even a season title run?
A season starts, a race begins
The Utsunomiya Opener is more than just the first stop. It's an early statement.
With established contenders, retooled rosters and rising teams all colliding, the answers to these questions may start to take shape quickly. Still, if history is any indication, Utsunomiya won’t just provide answers but create even more questions.
FIBA