A 3x3 basketball competition, in which only one basket is used for both teams, was first held at the inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010 and also featured at last year's inaugural European Games in Baku. 

As it is a new discipline rather than a new sport, the process for 3x3's Tokyo 2020 inclusion has not yet begun.

There is a growing lobby of support, however, from within the basketball community and the International Olympic Committee.

Some even believe that it could one day replace its five-a-side cousin on the programme, although there appears no immediate chance of this happening.

The final decision on its Tokyo 2020 inclusion is likely to be discussed following this year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

"It’s in the Youth Olympic Games and I think it’s a public secret that the objective, if not the expectation, would be to see it in Tokyo 2020," Leenders said.

"We have to go through a process but I think the expectations from FIBA are very high.

"It’s an excellent way to give not only players, but also countries to participate for the medals in basketball.

"If you look at 5x5, traditionally it’s quite a restricted group of countries that can get medals.

"In 3x3, we’ve already seen that it’s a very different sport.

"It’s much more universal, it’s played with a slightly smaller ball - size six - and it’s not so much about the height.

"It would be great to have a completely new country winning Olympic medals."

Earlier this month, USA Basketball men's national team managing director Jerry Colangelo expressed his support for 3x3 basketball being added to the Olympic programme, claiming it would be beneficial in bringing more exposure to the sport.

Colangelo, who led United States teams to the Olympic gold medal at both Beijing 2008 and London 2012 in the more established five-a-side discipline, believes progress is being made across the US to improve at the 3x3 event.

A significant development in five-a-side basketball is due next week with the launch of Europe’s Champions League in Paris on Monday (March 21). 

The Basketball Champions League, set to be introduced for the 2016 to 2017 season, is seeking to become the continent's premier club competition.

This is despite a rival Euroleague competition format having been unveiled in November.

"That’s going to be a very interesting venture as well," said Leenders.

"After all these years, FIBA is in a position now specifically in Europe to try and really re-establish the position of club basketball, not only for the European competition but also for all the domestic leagues.

"We fully believe that club basketball in Europe is under-performing to its potential and of course a club competition, whether it’s a Champions League or a Euroleague, is only the pinnacle of that but it needs to be prospering more in the countries.

"So the objective is not just to have European competition which is stronger, but also to have domestic leagues that develop which at the moment, in many cases, is not the case."