3X3 COULD BE HUGE IN GREAT BRITAIN, SAYS DYAN
Great Britain can be one of the top five nations in 3X3 basketball within five years.
That’s the claim of GB Basketball’s Consultant 3X3 Programme Manager Martin Dyan following a summer season that has seen the Brits compete in the FIBA U23 FIBA 3X3 Nations League and the men reach the quarter-finals of the FIBA 3X3 Europe Cup.
Going back further, the England men claimed 3X3 basketball gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, with the women grabbing silver.
The format, which involves three players on each team playing on a half-court with a single basket, has shown great potential. Dyan wants the British basketball community to take advantage of this chance.
“I think in five years, with consistent appearances, we could be top five,” Dyan proudly states.
“This year has been a real eye-opener to a lot of people, I think. People are starting to see that there is real potential for GB at the 3X3 level.
“That potential being winning a medal. We finished eighth at the FIBA 3X3 Europe Cup; imagine if we played 3X3 consistently; imagine what we can do in the next few years.”
Living by his social media signature of “Growing 3X3 in the UK one bounce at a time,” Dyan lives and breathes his moniker by founding his own brand, RISE3X3, and creating his own team, the LDN Warriors.
All of his work goes towards growing this format of the sport, which has seen success in countries that don’t have the same success as they do in the traditional version of the sport, such as the Netherlands and Austria.
Both of them claimed gold medals in the Paris 2024 Olympic and FIBA 3X3 Europe Cup men’s events, respectively.
“It’s a testament to the players believing in 3X3,” Dyan said about the LDN Warriors.
“So there’s something about the player education, player engagement in 3X3 that’s growing massively.”
“And these are incredibly good players; we are the best team in the nation on the women’s side; the men have competed in the play-offs in every tournament they have been in in the UK and abroad, and we’ve got sponsors and backroom staff.
“As a result and as a sport, 3X3 is growing and people are really engaging in it. Creating the London Warriors wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for people believing in it.
“Teams that don’t have success in the traditional five-on-five sport are excelling in 3X3. Just look what nations like the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Mongolia are doing.”
THAT MAGIC FEELING GOING TO DISNEY
For most kids, a trip to Disney World in Orlando, Florida, is met with unrivalled excitement and memories that last forever.
But for Martin, it was where his love affair for basketball took to new heights.
“When I was a kid, I was very fortunate to go to Disney World in Orlando, and at that time, it was when Orlando Magic was one of the best teams in the NBA,” Dyan, now 41-years-old, reflected.
“I remember overhearing that they were the team in the NBA, and I was watching as much as I could back then, and my parents very kindly got me some Orlando Magic stuff as well, and from there, I became an NBA basketball fan.
“That’s what got me into basketball; I loved how fast it was, loved the entertainment of it, and something just drew me to the game.”
However, to learn where Dyan’s basketball journey started, you have to go back to when he was just nine-years-old in the back garden of his family home in Stanmore, located in the London borough of Harrow.
Growing up with two siblings, brother Robert, and sister Tanya, Martin would often play sports with them, and as is customary for all kids growing up in Great Britain, football was dominant.
“My brother used to kick a football, sometimes at my face because he said that everyone needs a goalkeeper, and I think that was just an excuse to kick the ball at me,” Dyan says with a smirk.
“But I was really great at catching it, but not good at kicking. I had no left foot.”
While Martin enjoyed football, his sister had a netball hoop in the back garden, and a young, easily-impressed Martin took great joy in throwing the ball into the hoop.
“My brother was really into sports and always supported my basketball passion, so did my parents and my sister actually,” Dyan said.
Then, it was at Disney World that he pursued his passion for ‘throwing a ball into a hoop’ further.
“When I started properly playing basketball, I enjoyed the elements of it, being on the court, meeting people from different backgrounds, just being who you want to be on the court,” he said.
“It was just fun in general, and I liked the escape aspect as well. It’s stuck with me to this day, which is great.
“Whatever problems you’re facing or issues, no matter what age, basketball can be a great escape, and you can be yourself, basketball has filled me with utter joy.”
GEORGE AND THE 3X3 OBSESSION
It was during his constant days on the courts that Martin met and became best friends with George Goldstone, a native of Leeds who had moved to London. Their friendship was based on their unquestionable thirst for the game of basketball.
Martin and George would often watch NBA games, stay up to watch the annual All-Star Game, watch AND-1 Mixtapes, and even fight over who had the most copies of SLAM Magazine.
But their friendship suffered an unspeakable tragedy in 2016 when George died of cancer.
Heartbroken and struggling over what to do next. Martin wanted to honour his memory and, more sincerely, keep in contact with his late friend.
“I decided to do something positive in his memory,” Dyan stated.
“I wasn’t sure what to do, but I wanted to bring people and the community together positively. I had gotten over my mourning period, and I was like, ‘There’s got to be a way of keeping his legacy and keeping the joy alive’.
“I was always into 3-on-3 basketball outdoors anyway, and getting into 3X3 was a natural development, and it was so easy to get into it, but I got into it with George.”
With FIBA growing its 3X3 brand in 2017, GG3X3 was born, as ballers compete in a fun environment, inspiring people to play through the game of 3X3 basketball, no matter their ability, age, race, size, or background.
To this day, the GG3X3 is still going strong, with Martin giving ballers of all standards a chance to have fun and play the sport.
But most importantly, it’s his chance to stay in touch with his best friend and be there with him in spirit.
Somewhere, looking down, George would not only be proud but also eagerly awaiting that long overdue 1-on-1 showdown.