On December 3, Columbia University Class of 2018 graduate Camille Zimmerman won a gold medal with USA Basketball’s 3×3 Team at the AmeriCup held in San Juan, Puerto Rico. The final was a dramatic 21–20 win over Brazil. Playing alongside WNBA standouts, Katie Lou Samuelson, Kelsey Mitchell and Dearica Hamby (2022 WNBA Champion), Zimmerman played a valuable role throughout the tournament, especially since she has had extensive 3×3 experience this year.
Three years ago, Zimmerman, Columbia’s all-time leader in scoring and rebounds, got involved in a 3×3 pilot program that had the objective of growing the game in the U.S. It debuted in the Olympics in 2021 with the U.S. team winning gold.
“I fell in love with 3×3,” said Zimmerman. “Luckily, I got called up for USA [Basketball] a couple of times in the first one or two years. Then, this past season I got to play the whole pro circuit with USA and then got called for AmeriCup.”
The 3×3 game is different from the 5×5 game of basketball played in the college and pro worlds. It is played on a half-court and play is continuous. The first team to score 21 points is victorious. If the time ends before a team reaches 21, the team with the higher score wins. Coaches are not on the court. Players in 3×3 have to stay involved every moment, Zimmerman said. She even gets to use “a little bit of my Ivy League brain” figuring out strategies.
“It’s really cool to play [with these WNBA players],” said Zimmerman. “They’re very skilled. This group was probably the most skilled players I’ve ever gotten to be with. … It was pretty cool seeing how they handled themselves. Getting to play with them is awesome.”
Zimmerman has played 5×5 professionally overseas since graduating from Columbia, and probably will do so again this winter. If her AmeriCup play leads to a WNBA tryout, she certainly would be happy. Most importantly, she has her sights set on representing the U.S. in the 3×3 tournament at the Olympics.
“If I had the ability to play in the Olympics, that is what I am going full force for right now,” said Zimmerman. “Even if it’s a 1% chance, I’m…going to work as hard as I can to pursue that dream. … My current pursuit is getting as good as I can at 3×3 skillswise, knowing the game so I can be a coach on the floor.”
