There’s no doubt that ever since Ice Cube founded his Big 3 league back in 2017, it’s become a success. Especially in the past year, the 3-on-3 competition saw an impressive wave of attraction that’s helped boost the overall value of the league. It’s gotten to the point where former players like Dwyane Wade are starting to take notice of and respect the success of Ice Cube’s risky venture.
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The Big 3 recently hosted their league championship event in Orlando, Florida, and saw a record turnout. People were standing shoulder to shoulder in the crowd, with celebrities scattered throughout. It was quite the sight to see and was even aired on live TV.
In the end, the Miami 305 managed to overcome the Chicago Triplets to win the championship. The winning side featured some awesome former players like Mario Chalmers, Michael Beasley, and Lance Stevenson. Furthermore, the inclusion of those former players is why Wade loves seeing the 3-on-3 league thrive.
“To still give guys their last hurrah, to give guys that platform and that stage to be able to go out there and compete, because everyone still loves the game even though you’re not in the NBA no more, and give guys that opportunity- they’re making money,” Wade stated on his podcast Time Out.
The league is, in fact, generating money thanks to its sponsors. Ice Cube reported recently that he considers the league a success, yet hinted that they still haven’t turned a profit. Despite this, the entertainer says that their ratings are great and that they’re generating millions of impressions.
It’s pretty impressive when you think about it. Ice Cube took something that was just a silly idea and turned it into a legitimate league. Nobody ever imagined that a 3-on-3-only competition would be able to find success in this day in age. But the Big 3 has managed to do so.
“Shoutout to Cube for taking something that we all grew up on and creating this brand,” Wade later said.
With the 8th season now concluded, the Big 3 is looking to continue to grow. This past season marked the first time that home cities represented teams, which was a massive step for the brand. We’ll see what Ice Cube is cooking up behind the scenes for this next one.
Wade has never competed in the league, but Ice Cube has expressed interest in getting him involved. He’s also talked about wanting other former players like Carmelo Anthony and Jamal Crawford in the fold. All he says would fit in perfectly.
