VIDEO EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Olympic 3×3 Basketball Star Kareem Maddox Sets Sights on Paris Gold

Kareem Maddox, a standout on the U.S. men’s 3×3 basketball team, is laser-focused on bringing home gold from the Paris Olympics, driven by a mix of national pride and personal redemption.

Maddox, 34, sees the upcoming Games as a chance to match the success of the U.S. women’s team, which clinched gold in the sport’s Olympic debut in Tokyo. “This time around we gotta show that we got it on the men’s side too,” Maddox told uInterview in May.

The Princeton University alum’s journey to Paris has been marked by perseverance. After failing to qualify for the 2021 Tokyo Games, Maddox dedicated himself to a rigorous training regimen, emphasizing consistency and health.

“You don’t cram for a test,” Maddox explained, describing his approach to preparation. “You get up every day and treat yourself well. You do the right things healthwise, you eat right, train right and you’re consistent.”

This philosophy has guided Maddox through a unique career path. After graduating from Princeton in 2011, where he was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year, Maddox played professional basketball in the Netherlands and England. He later transitioned to a career in journalism, working as a producer for NPR’s All Things Considered before returning to professional 3×3 basketball in 2019.

Maddox’s comeback at 34 highlights the physical demands of 3×3 basketball, a fast-paced variant played on a half-court with a 12-second shot clock. “When you’re young everything is easy, you do what you want. When you’re in your 30’s it’s not as easy,” he noted.

Looking beyond Paris, Maddox sees the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as a crucial milestone for 3×3 basketball in the U.S. “We want to make sure that we are getting specifically Americans excited about this sport by representing well,” he said, emphasizing the need to develop the sport at grassroots and collegiate levels.

The 6-foot-8 forward’s training approach mirrors the intensity of game situations. “If you develop the right habits every day then you know if you’ve gotta change something when game time comes around then you’re in bad shape,” Maddox explained.

Maddox and his teammates are fine-tuning their strategies and building chemistry. “We spend a lot of time together. The four that have been selected for the team,” he said, confident in their preparation. “We’re gonna go show everyone at the very least that we play harder than anyone else and represent the country well.”