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The BIG3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league consists of 12 teams, including former NBA players and international players. The BIG3 made its debut in 2017 and takes place during the NBA offseason. The league features eight city-based teams for the 2025 season, which starts on June 14. Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, the DMV area, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami will all field teams in the new format. The BIG3 has sold the rights to the third and fourth location-based franchises, with teams based in Houston and Detroit, respectively, debuting in 2025. The league has also announced that it will air games on CBS Sports for the 2025 season.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players per team | 3 |
| Number of teams | 8 (as of 2025) |
| Player type | Former NBA players and international players |
| Rules | Deviations from the official rules of 3-on-3 basketball administered by FIBA |
| Season time | During the NBA offseason |
| Founding | 2017 |
| Founders | Hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz |
| Inaugural championship winners | Trilogy |
| Inaugural championship year | 2017 |
| Most recent championship winners | Bivouac |
| Most recent championship year | 2024 |
| Awards | Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, 4th Man, Defensive Player of the Year, etc. |
| Age limit | 22 |
| Tryouts | Open |
| Ruleset name | Fireball3 |
| Location-based franchises | Miami, Houston, Detroit |
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What You'll Learn
The Big3 league format
Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league consists of 12 teams, including former NBA players and international players. The Big3 league format differs from the official rules of 3-on-3 basketball administered by FIBA. The league debuted in 2017 during the NBA offseason and has since grown in popularity.
In 2018, the league's trophy was named in honour of Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and current Tri-state head coach, Julius Erving. That year, the Power were crowned champions, with Corey Maggette awarded MVP and Captain of the Year, and Nancy Lieberman awarded Coach of the Year. In 2019, the Triplets were awarded the trophy.
For the 2025 season, the Big3 will feature eight city-based teams representing Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) area, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami. The league will continue to host weekly games in various arenas, with the host arena featuring the home team in the final game played.
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Founding and rules
Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league made its debut in 2017 and consists of 12 teams, including former NBA players and international players. The first Big3 Championship game was held on 26 August 2017, where Trilogy defeated the 3 Headed Monsters 51-46. The league's format includes weekly games held in different locations, with the host arena featuring the home team in the final game.
The rules of Big3 games deviate from the official FIBA rules for 3-on-3 basketball. For example, they allow hand-checking, making the game more physical. In January 2020, Big3 announced rule changes and introduced the term "Fireball3" to describe its rule set. The league also lowered its age limit to 22 and instituted open tryouts for players.
The Big3 operates independently of the NBA but uses NBA venues for its games. The league takes place during the NBA offseason, providing an opportunity for former and active NBA players to stay competitive. Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown became the first active NBA player to participate in a Big3 event when he competed in the 2023 All-Star Game in London.
The Big3 league has seen success and growth since its founding. In 2024, the league announced the sale of franchise rights to investors, with teams based in Miami, Houston, and Detroit debuting in 2025. The league also featured eight city-based teams for the 2025 season, a change from the previous travelling model. The Big3 continues to gain popularity and attract more fans, with games airing on national television networks like CBS Sports.
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Champions and awards
The Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league consists of 12 teams whose rosters include former NBA players and international players. The Big3 debuted in 2017 and takes place during the NBA offseason.
The winners of the Big3 championship are awarded the Julius Erving Championship Trophy. The Trilogy took home the inaugural championship trophy in 2017, defeating the 3 Headed Monsters 51-46 and completing a perfect 10-0 season. The 3 Headed Monsters forward, Rashard Lewis, was awarded the Most Valuable Player award, while Trilogy's James White and Rick Mahorn won Defensive Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, respectively.
In 2018, the Power defeated 3's Company 51-43 to become the league's second champions. Power's Corey Maggette was named MVP and Captain of the Year, while Nancy Lieberman won Coach of the Year. That same year, the league's trophy was named in honour of Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and Tri-state head coach, Julius Erving.
The Triplets were awarded the championship trophy in 2019. The Trilogy won their second and third championship trophies in 2021 and 2022, respectively. The Enemies were the 2023 champions, and Bivouac took home the trophy in 2024.
Annually, players in the Big3 can nominate and vote for fellow players and coaches across several award categories, including Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, 4th Man, and Defensive Player of the Year.
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Location-based franchises
The Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league initially consisted of 12 teams, including both former NBA players and international players. The Big3 operates independently of the NBA but plays in NBA venues.
In 2024, the Big3 began transitioning to a location-based franchise model, with the first franchise rights being sold to a group of investors led by business executive Heath Freeman for $10 million. This team will be based in Miami and debut in 2025. Soon after, the rights to the third location-based franchise were sold, with plans to base the team in Houston, also debuting in 2025. The fourth location-based franchise was purchased by GameAbove Sports, a sports-focused business development entity, which will be based in Detroit and also debut in 2025.
For the 2025 season, the league will feature eight teams representing the following cities: Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, the DMV (District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia) area, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami. Each host arena will feature the home team in the final game played. The coaches for seven of the eight teams have already been announced, with five of them being members of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Big3 has seen success and growth since its debut in 2017, with games airing on national television and a strong following of fans. The league has also partnered with Adidas to launch a youth initiative called Young3, targeting underprivileged children in each city. The league's founders believe that the increase in the popularity of three-on-three basketball is evidence of the Big3's success and potential for further growth.
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Big3's future
Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league consists of 12 teams, including former NBA players and international players. The rules of Big3 games deviate from the official rules of FIBA 3-on-3 basketball.
Big3 debuted in 2017 and takes place during the NBA offseason. In 2020, the league announced several changes, including lowering the age limit to 22, instituting open tryouts, and introducing rule changes. The league also adopted the name "Fireball3" to describe its unique rule set, which differs from FIBA-sanctioned 3-on-3 games.
In 2024, Big3 announced the sale of franchise rights to groups of investors, with teams based in Miami, Houston, and Detroit, debuting in 2025. This marks a new twist for the league, as it introduces city-based teams for the first time. Eight cities will host teams for the 2025 season, including Houston, led by coach Calvin Murphy, a major figure in the city.
Big3 commissioner Clyde Drexler has praised the format of playing once a week, comparing it to "a basketball festival" for fans. Co-founder Ice Cube attributes the growth of three-on-three basketball's popularity to the success of Big3 and believes it will continue to expand. With national visibility through CBS Sports and sponsorship deals, the future of Big3 looks promising, and the league appears set to continue thriving and evolving.
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Frequently asked questions
BIG3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz. The league consists of city-based teams with rosters that include former NBA players and international players.
The BIG3 basketball league was founded in 2017 and debuted the same year during the NBA offseason.
The BIG3 league operated with 12 teams from 2019 until 2025 when it was announced that the league would feature eight teams representing cities such as Boston, Chicago, and Miami.
