Children are returning to sports from the 90s. On 5 June they can try their hand at 3x3 basketball.

3x3 basketball has a longer tradition than you might think. In Poland, Łódź knows this very well. It was there that Basketmania – the oldest 3x3 street basketball tournament in Poland and one of the oldest in Europe – was founded in 1996. For years, the competition was held on Piotrkowska Street, where each edition attracted competitors, families with children, and random passers-by.

Today, entire families can watch the highest level of competition and try their hand at 3x3 basketball during the World Championships taking place in Warsaw. On 5 June, at the Plac Defilad square near the Palace of Culture and Science, in the MultiSport Foundation zone, there will be a real wealth of attractions for children and their families: a playground with skipping ropes, elastics, hopscotch, obstacle courses and reflexometres, entertainment and competitions with prizes, including original balls and T-shirts from the 3x3 World Championships. There will also be a dietitian on site with a TANITA device for free body composition measurement.

Additionally, Kacper Lachowicz, one of the most recognisable basketball coaches, will lead three rounds of open training sessions that day as part of the 3x3ZONE project of the MultiSport Foundation: at 11:00, 13:30 and 18:30. Registration takes place under the Kacpa and the MultiSport Foundation post on Instagram and Facebook.

Discipline at the top

Today, 3x3 basketball is part of a broader trend of sports choices among young people. It’s a return to simple, urban forms of activity, the same ones that draw children to skateparks, BMX tracks, and neighbourhood sports fields.

Anyone can play anywhere

A 3x3 basketball court is half the size of a standard one. The game is played by three people on three, the rules are simpler than in classic basketball, and all you need to start is an any square with a basket. The format differs from the classic “five” not only in terms of the line-up. The match lasts 10 minutes or to 21 points, the pace is higher, and the tactics come from instinct.

– 3x3 basketball is a great opportunity to try basketball in a more accessible way. You only need six players instead of ten, and you don’t need a professional court. You can play outdoors, on any square or local sports field. The slogan of FIBA 3x3 itself – “From Streets to Olympics” – best illustrates that the genesis of this discipline lies in the streets and outdoor activity areas – says Kacper Lachowicz.

Children need activity

At a time when coaches are openly saying that it is harder than ever to get children interested in sports, such accessibility has real value.

– Inspiration makes sense when it can be turned into action. That is why the MultiSport Foundation is developing the 3x3ZONE project – a mobile 3x3 basketball zone that will appear as part of public events, also at this year’s World Championships, where children will be able to see the champions and try their hand at a discipline that is becoming increasingly popular among young people. It is by supporting children in activities that are aligned with their interests that we give them a chance to naturally develop them into habits – says Justyna Rysiak, President of the MultiSport Foundation.

According to the World Health Organisation’s recommendations, children and adolescents aged 5–17 should spend at least 60 minutes a day on moderate or vigorous physical activity. Today, nearly 90% of children in Poland do not meet the minimum level of physical activity necessary for proper development and health.

– Basketball engages the entire body. Each action involves the simultaneous action of the legs, arms, torso and head, which assesses the situation and makes decisions in a split second. Thanks to this, playing basketball is a great way to develop overall coordination, but it also builds soft skills. It teaches teamwork, coping with pressure and striving for goals. It also gives something no parent can buy for a child: friendships and memories from the field that will last a lifetime. Additionally, basketball, like any sport, supports children’s health in the long term – adds Kacper Lachowicz.

A meta-analysis of 25 surveys involving nearly 3,700 teenagers, published in 2025 in the “BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation” magazine, confirms that regular basketball training significantly improves explosive strength as well as respiratory and circulatory capacity in young people.

More information about the 3x3ZONE project of the MultiSport Foundation can be found at: 3x3ZONE – Fundacja MultiSport

^{About the MultiSport Foundation: The MultiSport Foundation implements educational and social projects promoting an active, healthy lifestyle among children, adults and seniors. The foundation operates within the Benefit Systems Group – the leader of the Polish non-financial benefits market and creator of the MultiSport Programme. More information at fundacjamultisport.pl}