HONG KONG - After a mid-season breather, the FIBA 3x3 World Tour 2025 is back and the best players in the business are ready to hit the ground running in Hong Kong on July 19-20.
Here are the players you just have to watch closely. Paul Djoko (Toulouse)
This excitement machine is often in the shadow of talismanic teammate Franck Seguela, but Paul Djoko is equally as brilliant and just as entertaining. With Seguela not in Hong Kong, it's time for Djoko to dominate the half-court once again having won the MVP in Amsterdam.
Move over Nikola Jokic, there is a new Joker in town and this dude adds a dose of French flair to his game as you'll see in Hong Kong.
Bryan Alberts (Amsterdam RABOBANK)
The WT Hong Kong will be an opportunity for some of the game's most underrated talents to step up. A little like Djoko, Bryan Alberts has an opportunity to be top dog with Amsterdam's leading player Worthy de Jong not in Hong Kong.
Alberts will have special memories of being in Hong Kong after being a key part of Amsterdam's triumph at last year's World Tour Final. Few players can heat up quite like Alberts, who will make the temperature soar in Hong Kong.
Henry Caruso (Miami)
It's a new era for America's top team with Caruso taking the wheel as he puts the cape on. There is always an enormous amount of pressure for top American players, but the charismatic Caruso relishes being in the starring role.
It's easy to envision this athletic marvel being the lead in a Marvel film, but he's performing the next best thing by being Captain America for powerhouse Miami as they look for a second season WT title in Hong Kong.
Cameron Forte (Chongming)
There is no one stronger than this dude, who bullies defenders in the paint for fun. He is averaging 7.7 ppg on the WT - the fourth highest this season. He does his damage down low with Forte shooting at a 71% clip to be one of the most reliable bucket getters on the WT.
Not only does Forte put the points on the board, but his brute strength ensures that opponents feel bruised and battered by the end of the game.
Stefan Milivojevic (Partizan)
After making a name for himself in recent seasons as 'The Gladiator', it looked like 2025 was going to be the year where Milivojevic lifted to the very top tier of players on the planet.
He started the year with a statement after collecting the MVP at the Champions Cup, but things have not gone well since. Milivojevic has struggled to find his form and Partizan have not got going so far this season.
But with a chance to reflect during the break, we're backing the muscular Milivojevic to get back to his very best and start flexing on opponents in Hong Kong.
Anand Ariunbold (Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy)
Ulaanbaatar MMC Energy (MGL) are going to have to do it the hard way from QD, but don't write them off because they have a dude who is nicknamed 'The Archer' for good reason. Though he hasn't quite been on target this year and was ice cold on his half-court at the WT Ulaanbaatar.
But you just know he'll break his slump soon and when he does Ariunbold will unleash fury with a major heater. Opponents should rightly feel nervous when Ariunbold launches from downtown in Hong Kong.
Leon Fertig (Skyliners)
This scoring bucket is among the New Gen of exciting German ballers taking the world by storm. The 25-year-old showcased his smooth inside-outside game at the World Cup to play a key role in Germany's fourth-placed finish.
Fertig was lights out as he averaged almost 6 ppg on the biggest stage and he'll arrive in Hong Kong with plenty of confidence. He's forming a deadly duo with legendary sniper Stefan Kojic and you feel his WT breakout is not far away.
Aleksandar Lazic (Hangzhou)
It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Superman! With all due respect to David Corenswet, Aleksandar Lazic should be cast as Superman because he can fly high in the sky when he's on the half-court.
Lazic has been one of the most electrifying players this year and is performing athletic deeds that we did not think were possible. Lazic has already thrown down nine nasty slams in just four WT games and expect him to add to his tally in Hong Kong.
Hanyu Guo (Shanghai)
This Chinese walking bucket arrives in Hong Kong with plenty of swagger after being a flamethrower in China's impressive quarter-final run at the World Cup.
He's deadly all over the half-court and if he throws up crazy numbers then underdog Shanghai (CHN) are more than capable of going on a giant-killing run.
FIBA