Team USA Basketball: Four NBA players who could improve 3x3 men's team at 2024 Olympics

What basketball traits are most important in the 3-on-3 world?

USA Basketball is off to a strong start at the 2024 Olympics ... at least when it comes to 5-on-5. That may be the most traditional form of the sport being played in Paris, but it isn't the only one. Team USA also sent a 3-on-3 team led by former college star Jimmer Fredette, and it has dropped its first two games while the 5-on-5 team has already advanced to the quarterfinals round. Team USA's women have also lost their first two games, meaning the world's preeminent hoops power started a combined 0-for-4 in this unconventional format.

If you want to know why Team USA has struggled in the 3-on-3 game, Isabel Gonzalez explained it for CBS Sports here. But let's say you want to fix it. Let's say you want to construct a roster of NBA players designed specifically to win a game of 3-on-3 as opposed to 5-on-5. And to make it interesting, rather than simply picking LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant, we're going to include the following stipulation: no player who has ever participated for Team USA in a senior men's tournament is eligible. Amateur participation for Team USA is fair game.

So before we build our roster, let's lay out what traits are most important in the 3-on-3 world: