10th Annual Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament at L.A. LIVE Concludes as Largest Tournament to Date

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The 10th Annual Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament at L.A. LIVE brought more than 1,000 teams from around the country to compete in nearly 1,500 games and concluded yesterday with the winning teams from both the men and women’s Nike Elite Divisions qualifying to compete in the 2019 USA Basketball 3X3 National Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The men’s Nike Elite Division was won for the third time – clinching back-to-back Nike 3ON3 titles – by team Ariel Slow & Steady which consisted of players Craig Moore (New York City), Damon Huffman (Chicago), Dan Mavraides (Los Angeles) and Zahir Carrington (New York City). The women’s Nike Elite Division was won by team LA Dream Team which consisted of Los Angeles natives Brittnay Wilson, Desiree Jackson, Jianni Jackson and Rebekah Gardner. In addition to qualifying to compete in the 2019 USA Basketball 3X3 National Tournament in Colorado Springs, Colo., and potentially represent the United States of America in the 2019 3x3 World Cup, each player from the Nike Elite Division winning teams also received a $500 American Express gift card and a $250 Nike gift card.

Throughout the weekend, more than 5,000 players competed on the surrounding streets of L.A. LIVE and STAPLES Center throughout downtown Los Angeles in California’s largest 3-on-3 street basketball tournament, with more than 25,000 fans and spectators cheering them on.

The entertainment-packed weekend kicked off on Friday, Aug. 3 in L.A. LIVE’s Microsoft Square with the Nike 3ON3 Celebrity Basketball Game in partnership with Dash Radio. The two teams were coached by Detroit Piston’s Langston Galloway and DASH Radio’s DJ Skee and featured hip-hop artists, actors, entertainers and professional slam dunkers, such as CHILLI, Don Benjamin, Ricky Bell, Apryl Jones and more.

Saturday’s competition throughout the tournament’s seven divisions of play (youth, teen, adult, adult elite, corporate challenge, wheelchair and Special Olympics) was highlighted by the fan-favorite Nike Slam Dunk Contest, which drew the largest crowds of the day as internationally known slam dunkers Chris Staples, Carlos Smothers, Chase Skinkis and Reemix (Myree Bowden) showed off their high-flying skills – including jumping over fans. Reemix took first place, defending his title from the 2017 tournament after receiving top marks across the board from the judges.

“Throughout the past 10 years, the Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament has grown not only in size but reputation as the caliber and number of players that come to compete continues to climb,” said Ryan Golden, Vice President of Events, L.A. LIVE. “We’re thrilled that our winners from the 2017 Men’s Nike Elite Division were able to not only qualify to play in the 2018 USA Basketball 3X3 National Tournament from our tournament, but win – and even more so, that they returned this year to compete at L.A. LIVE and defend their title.”

The 10th Annual Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament drew an impressive number of teams and fans and has tripled in size from its inaugural year, becoming a Southern California tradition that now attracts the best teams from around the country.

Official sponsors of the Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament include Nike Basketball, Blue Shield of California, Big 5 Sporting Goods, Spartan Race, Keck Medicine of USC, Powerade, Budweiser and FreshandWipe.

Plans for the 11th Annual Nike Basketball 3ON3 Tournament at L.A. LIVE are under way and will be announced in the coming months.

About L.A. LIVE

L.A. LIVE is a 4 million square-foot, $3 billion downtown Los Angeles sports and entertainment district adjacent to STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center featuring The Novo by Microsoft, a 2,300 capacity live music venue, Microsoft Theater, a 7,100-seat live theatre, a 54-story, 1001-room convention “headquarters” destination (featuring The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. LIVE hotels and 224 luxury condominiums – The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE – all in a single tower), the GRAMMY Museum, the 14-screen Regal Cinemas L.A. LIVE: A Barco Innovation Center theatre, broadcast facilities for ESPN along with entertainment, residential, restaurant and office space.

Developed by Los Angeles-based AEG, L.A. LIVE, considered to be the nation’s most active ‘live content and event campus,’ has become the region’s most in-demand and busiest hospitality location throughout the past 10 years, featuring 260,480 sf of conference center and ballroom facilities, world-class restaurants including WP24, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, Katsuya, Lawry’s Carvery, Rock ‘N Fish, Rosa Mexicano, Starbucks, Triple 8, Glance Restaurant, Smashburger, Live Basil Pizza, Tom’s Urban 24, Yard House, Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill and BOCA at the Conga Room and others; 100,000 sf special events deck, the famous Lucky Strike Lanes and Lounge, the celebrity owned Conga Room, a one-of-a-kind GRAMMY Museum, saluting the history of music and the genre’s best known awards show all centered around Microsoft Square, a 40,000 sf outdoor event space.

With Microsoft Theater and Microsoft Square which came on-line in October, 2007, and the hotel, residential and meeting space components opened as of April, 2010 combined with the assets, resources and infrastructure of STAPLES Center and the Los Angeles Convention Center, L.A. LIVE showcases more events, award shows, sporting competitions, concerts and hospitality options than any other destination in the world.

Please use the following link to view photos from the event: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/1r8sre2uvzn2ecn/AAB4IVvSHEMekv_hDZ4hsBsMa?dl=0