Basketball Ballarat has been working with the National Basketball League and Basketball Australia to bring organised three-on-three competitions to the city.

It coincides with plans to start work on stage two of the Ballarat Sports and Events Centre project, which will see the construction of Olympic standard three-on-three basketball courts.

The plan could see Ballarat become one of the first regional hubs for the game, which has taken off in inner-city areas around the country.

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"We began talks with Basketball Ballarat during the first stage of development," NBL 3X3 hustle manager Jaele Patrick said.

"We've helped with making sure the courts are FIBA and 3X3 compliant so we can look to bring bigger events like our national championships to Ballarat."

The three-on-three game has gained a real following in recent years after becoming a permanent fixture at the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.

It is a shorter, sharper version of traditional basketball that's played in a half-court environment. Teams play without coaches and the scoring is modified so baskets are worth one point and three-pointers are worth two.

The first team to 21 wins.

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"In terms of skill development, players get a lot out of 3x3 because there is no where to hide, they get more touches and the transition from offense to defence is instantaneous," Patrick said.

Patrick said the NBL would partner with Ballarat to run 3X3 Street Hustle events for all age groups. The events would allow local players to earn ranking points and forge a pathway to the elite level.

She said the NBL hoped to see the game become independent from the traditional game and forge its own identity.

Basketball Ballarat court supervisor Ben Connell is a veteran of the format having played organised three-on-three basketball in Melbourne. He said he found three-on-three to be a better game.

"It's not as cluttered within the key, you get a lot more of the ball and you don't have to be the fittest person to be successful," he said.