How to see Jimmer Fredette in the FIBA 3x3 International Cup at Golden 1 Center for free

The 3x3 International Cup is coming to Sacramento for the second year in a row, bringing a free, fast-paced, family event back to Golden 1 Center from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Hosted by the Sacramento Kings, in partnership with 3Ball USA, this one-day, 3-on-3 basketball tournament will feature some of the best 3x3 teams in the United States as well as top international teams. Former Kings guard Jimmer Fredette and a few homegrown players will compete.

Jay Demings, director of 3x3 USA Basketball, said the event will offer a “festival” atmosphere. The day will include 19 games and an exhibition dunk contest.

Admission is free. Tickets can be reserved at Ticketmaster or www.Kings.com/3x3.

“I hope everybody in Sacramento takes advantage of it because, you know, entertainment, especially in sports, has gotten really expensive,” Demings said. “So any time you can get a free event, I hope families take advantage of that and come out and see a great set of games.”

Fans will have a chance to see Michael Bryson, a former Foothill High School standout; Drake U’u, a former Rio Americano star; and Mark Payne, who starred at St. Mary’s High School of Stockton and UC Davis.

Fredette, who has been playing 3-on-3 basketball for the past year or so, invited fans out to the 3x3 International Cup tournament in a video released by Golden 1 Center.

“There’s going to be some great competition from all over the world,” Fredette said. “It’s going to be an exciting event, and if you haven’t watched 3x3 Basketball, make sure that you get out and check it because it’s amazing. Such a fast-paced game, a lot of scoring. Very, very quick, but it’s really fun to watch.”

It’s not often fans get to see 3-on-3 professional basketball games in the United States, but the 3x3 game was recently added to the Olympics, debuting at the 2020 Tokyo Games. Team USA’s goal is to qualify a team for the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

Fredette will play for Team Miami, the No. 1 ranked 3x3 team in the U.S. Other American 3x3 teams include Marin County, Venice Beach, St. Louis, Oklahoma City and Omaha 3Ball, the No. 4 ranked team in the nation. The international teams that will compete in Sacramento are Jamaica, Mexico City and Saudi Arabia.

The Sacramento tournament will determine which team earns a spot on the FIBA 3x3 World Tour, which includes an invitation to China for the Chengdu Masters Oct. 21-22 and, potentially, a spot in the Paris Olympics.

Team Sacramento confident

Team Sacramento won last year’s inaugural 3x3 International Cup with a team featuring U’u, Payne, Reggie Willhite and New Williams.

Bryson, a sharpshooter from Foothill and UC Santa Barbara, will take the place of Williams, who is playing professionally overseas. Bryson said coming home to represent Team Sacramento is a “beautiful situation.”

“This has always been home,” Bryson said. “Every time I go play basketball overseas or I have trips, or whatever it is that I’m doing with my life, it always winds up me coming back to Sacramento to kind of re-base and re-ground myself.”

Bryson is aware that Team Sacramento is coming off a championship last year. He expects teams to be gunning for them as they look to defend their title. He plans to bring energy, athleticism and defense to the squad.

“Everybody that’s coming against us is going to be coming with their best, so we’re not going to have any pushover games,” Bryson said. “So coming into the tournament, it’s going to be very important that we start from the jump, playing aggressive, playing hard and playing with each other. Playing off the ball, making cuts, doing things that are going to allow us to get easy buckets.”

They’re not taking it lightly. Bryson wants to win this tournament and advance to China.

“I don’t mind that at all if that’s where it takes us and that’s where we’re going,” he said. “I’ve been to China once before. I need another experience out there.”

U’u believes Bryson will be a perfect fit for Team Sacramento, bringing his array of skills. He said the team was “lucky” to get him.

“His game fits in well with ours,” U’u said. “Us getting a chance to play with Mike and bring him on, I think is again another young gun who also has great size, athletic, but someone that can go get a bucket when he needs to. I feel like we’re excited to play with him and he also plays the right way, so it’ll be fun to incorporate him this time around.”

U’u said he is competitive by nature and he’s excited to “dust the rust off and run it back” this year.

For Willhite, he feels “blessed” that he can come out and compete. Willhite has overcome some devastating injuries, including a torn meniscus about six months ago and a torn Achilles over five years ago.

Willhite said he is feeling good and free of pain.

“I’m still dangerous,” Willhite said.

Not to mention, he can still dunk a basketball pretty easily.

Willhite knows what to expect from the tournament. He gives his team a “fighter’s chance.”

“From a competition standpoint, we play well in the 3-on-3 framework,” Willhite said. “It’s a fun game. It’s a fast game. I think it’s very conducive to all of us as players and as a team. So, you know, anything can happen. I think we’re all confident in our team. Being able to repeat is a monumental challenge for sure. But I think we’re right there, man. We’re right there. A couple of plays go our way, you know, anything can happen for sure.”

A family affair

Members of Team Sacramento want to win, but the opportunity to play in their hometown in front of family and friends once again is a nice consolation.

Willhite played overseas and came back to Sacramento, settling with his wife in Carmichael. Together, they have a 2-year-old son that Willhite chases around the house. He said his wife and son will be there Sunday to cheer him on.

U’u, 33, is a father of two, a 2-year-old and a 6-month-old. He’s looking forward to having them and other family members there to watch him at Golden 1 Center.

Bryson played at Arco Arena, the former home of the Kings, but never at their downtown arena. He said he hasn’t played in his hometown since 2016, when he was torching defenses at Foothill, although he did play at nearby UC Davis in college.

“This is going to be a fun, nostalgic experience,” Bryson said.

This story was originally published September 28, 2023 at 5:00 AM.