The NBA, which remains engulfed in the ‘world champion’ debate, received great news. A former NBA player led the USA in FIBA’s 3×3 World Tour 2023 and registered a staggering victory. In fact, the former Chicago Bulls player delivered a staunch performance to end America’s four-year-long title drought.

Joining the national 3×3 team from Dwyane Wade’s home city, Miami, the former Chicago Bulls player broke the competition. Playing against the defending champions of the event, the player delivered an MVP performance to clinch the prestigious title for the US.

Former Chicago Bulls player goes into beast mode in the finals

Jimmer Fredette led the finals match with his team and secured an astonishing victory against reigning champions Vienna. The collegiate giant and former NBA professional unleashed his ‘Jim Mania’ and put up 44 overwhelming points on the board. Both Team Miami and Team Vienna made it to the finals with an unbeaten campaign. Miami had failed to secure a title in the previous seven iterations of the tournament, and thus, didn’t yield any weaknesses. The last FIBA 3×3 World Tour Championship win for the US came in 2019. However, 2023 marked the end of the long title drought for the US.

The final match at Cebu also witnessed the contribution of Dylan Travis who landed a late-game clutch steal. Canyon Barry and Kareem Maddox contributed to the points table with relentless and continuous buckets. The former Chicago Bulls player almost repeated Dwyane Wade’s shocking 44-point run against LeBron James in 2006. Fredette, Barry, and Maddox claimed the win for Miami, just like the Big 3 of the Miami Heat in 2011 and 2012.

Dwyane Wade and the iconic Big 3 that dominated the NBA

The 2003 season of the NBA draft yielded some of the greatest players to grace the NBA. Among them were Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh. While Wade was already in the Miami Heat, LBJ and Bosh joined the ride in 2010. The trio wreaked havoc in the NBA and instantly became the leading scorers of the league. In fact, their coordination also led to several massive steals, demonic blocks, and poster dunks that spelled dominance over everyone. 

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The Big 3 yielded two NBA championships for Miami Heat, but couldn’t develop into a dynasty. LBJ left to rejoin his home team Cleveland, and Wade got traded to the Chicago Bulls. By the time Wade returned to Miami in 2018, a year had passed since Bosh’s retirement. Despite the short run of the Big 3 of the Miami Heat, the explosive mark they’ve left in the NBA will always be remembered. 

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