LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – The FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2026 returned from its five-week mid-season break with another dose of drama in iconic Lausanne, where Baskets Bonn (GER) claimed their second World Tour title of the season and Fabian Giessmann collected another MVP award.
The ninth WT stop of the FIBA 3x3 2026 Pro Circuit delivered plenty of clues for what promises to be a fascinating run to the World Tour Final in December. From Bonn's continued rise to Liman's unprecedented early exit, here's what we learned in Lausanne.
Baskets Bonn are a serious force
The early-season surprise is starting to look less like a surprise. Baskets Bonn followed up their breakthrough triumph at WT Amsterdam 2026 by winning again in Lausanne, making them one of only three teams to have captured multiple FIBA 3x3 World Tour stops this season alongside Liman (SRB) and Ub (SRB).
The German side were particularly impressive in Lausanne, going unbeaten through pool play before navigating the knockout rounds and defeating Bordeaux (FRA) in the Final.
This is no longer simply a young team capable of making noise. Baskets Bonn have now proven they can consistently win at the highest level of the Pro Circuit.
And with eight World Tour stops still to come before the Final in Rio de Janeiro, they have every reason to believe there is more proverbial silverware ahead.
Giessmann as World Tour superstar
If Lausanne confirmed anything, it is that Fabian Giessmann is rapidly becoming one of the biggest stars on the circuit.
The Baskets Bonn standout was named MVP for the second time this season after another sensational tournament, following his MVP performance during the team's Amsterdam title run. As such, this kid can no longer be considered a rising star -- he has already proven he's among the elite of the elite.
In Lausanne, Giessmann finished with a tournament-best 51 points and 59.2 player value, while also leading the field with 15 dunks and ranking third with 20 highlights.
One of his most memorable moments came on Day 1, when he scored the final three points to seal a dramatic 21-19 victory over Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL). He then added 12 points against Utrecht (NED) as Bonn swept Pool D.
Two World Tour titles. Two MVP awards. At just 22 years old, Giessmann is already one of the players to watch for the remainder of the season.
Liman hit a roadblock
The No. 1 seed entered Lausanne with plenty of momentum, but their tournament ended before the knockout phase even began. Liman suffered back-to-back pool defeats against Cibona Ph.Classic (CRO) and Valencia Basket (ESP), making an early exit in one of the biggest shocks of the season.
More significantly, it was the first time in 2026 that Liman failed to advance to the Quarter-Finals at either a World Tour or Challenger stop. That is a remarkable run of consistency coming to an end.
Of course, Liman have already won two World Tour stops this season and remain firmly among the leading contenders. One difficult weekend should not erase what has been an excellent campaign. Still, Lausanne served as a reminder that even the most reliable teams can be vulnerable in the increasingly deep 3x3 basketball field.
Six different World Tour winners
Parity has become one of the defining characteristics of the 2026 season. Through the first nine World Tour stops, six different teams have captured titles: Liman, Ub, Baskets Bonn, Miami (USA), Hangzhou Jingwei (CHN) and Amsterdam RABOBANK (NED).
Three of those teams -- Liman, Ub and Baskets Bonn -- have won twice, but nobody has been able to completely dominate the circuit. That leaves plenty of room for another team to break through.
Skyliners (GER), Shanghai (CHN), Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy, Antwerp (BEL), DeQing (CHN) and Raudondvaris Hoptrans (LTU) are among the established names still searching for their first FIBA 3x3 World Tour title of the year. With the field becoming deeper and the margins increasingly smaller, the second half of the season could produce even more new champions.
Wide open second half
Lausanne was more than just another FIBA 3x3 World Tour stop. It marked the beginning of the second half of the 2026 season after a five-week mid-season break.
With nine stops now complete, there are eight World Tour stops remaining before the Pro Circuit culminates at the FIBA 3x3 World Tour Final 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on December 12-13.
That leaves plenty of time for the current contenders to build momentum, for established teams to recover from setbacks and for new challengers to make their move.
Baskets Bonn have made their statement. Liman have shown they can be beaten. And the list of champions and contenders suggests there is no clear runaway favorite.
The second half of the World Tour is wide open, and that might be the most exciting thing we learned in Lausanne.
Stay Connected
Follow all the latest action from the FIBA 3x3 World Tour throughout the 2026 season by visiting the official World Tour website, where you can find the latest news, team standings, player statistics and everything you need to follow the Race to the Final. 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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