The NBA is being investigated by the United States Department of Justice over allegations the league attempted to sabotage Ice Cube’s Big3 league, according to TMZ Sports. The league has denied the allegations.
Ice Cube and Big3 co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz have met with Department of Justice lawyers regarding concerns the NBA may have engaged in anticompetitive behavior.
The allegations include the NBA interfering with sponsorship deals, discouraging television networks from broadcasting games, and making arbitrary rules to prevent players from joining the league, despite the NBA and Big3 seasons not overlapping.
The report also claims Big3 officials believe they have been “unfairly targeted by the NBA” and sources in the story say NBA owners have been discouraged from investing in Ice Cube’s league.
NBA spokesman Mike Bass told TMZ the allegations were “not true”.
“We have been supportive of the Big3 since its inception, but we declined to invest.”
The NBA would face a substantial fine if found guilty.
It does seem weird the nba wouldn’t have any interest in the league considering it’s an Olympic sport now
Correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Cube’s big 3 a totally different thing from the FIBA Big 3?
Bulut is probable FIBA 3v3 goat and he plays Big 3
The last thing the NBA wants is a more entertaining product catching on with the youth lol
It has nothing to do with the product, the NBA has no interest being in business with Ice Cube.
It sounds like it goes beyond that, to threatening sponsors that if they also sponsor Big3 the NBA would revoke their contracts wit the NBA or something like that.
THAT is the very definition of anti-competitive behavior.
IF they’re actually doing it, which so far there is no public evidence to support.
Why would the NBA promote another league?
Seems like the NBA would rather create their own Big 3 someday than partner with Ice Cube, a guy who isn’t in “the club”
The Balkans have it on lock the same way the USA had the full-court game in the 1990s.
not on the women’s side though, still think the talent level for the US women is very far ahead even in 3x3. US threw together Jackie Young, Kelsey Plum, Stef Dolson and Allisha Gray last minute and I’m sure as hell none of them really played 3x3 on a regular basis and they still won a gold.
The BIG3 is in direct competition with the WNBA season.
Ice Cube wanted to work with the NBA as a developmental league even though the NBA has the G-League and the BIG3 is a roadshow of retired NBA players.
Why would the NBA work with BIG3?
It’s not in direct competition
They are when it comes to TV broadcasts.
If the BIG3 comes to an WNBA city, they are competing for ticket sales and sponsorship dollars.
The people going to BIG3 games would not be going to WNBA games.
IMO the biggest issue is Ice Cube. Adam Silver doesnt want to have to answer questions about when Ice Cube goes on a podcast and says some goofy shit.
I don’t think most other organizations would be publicly begging the NBA to help them.
Ice Cube is on another level of obnoxious at this point. And his partners funding BIG3 are probably undesirable.
Isn’t Adam Silver Jewish? I wouldn’t want to work with Ice Cube at all if I was Jewish. I definitely wouldn’t be going out of my way to supplement his league.
Silver’s background has nothing to do with this, he’s a commissioner not an owner
The NBA doesn’t need to work with the BIG3, but barring players and referees from participating (when they already participate with other events/leagues) seems like a step too far.
You could also argue that it is beneficial for the NBA to work with the BIG3, either in helping to increase the popularity of basketball in general, as a development option, or as a semi-retirement option for guys who can still hoop but can’t handle the full grind.
I don’t think the NBA allows any of its players to take player contracts in any other leagues.
Usually when they play in other events, it’s representing their country, charity events, or for personal fun. It’s not for pay from a competing league.
I’d say that Ice Cube’s public persona since he first presented BIG3 has been enough for the NBA to stay away.
The NBA wants control and they can’t control BIG3. I don’t know if the BIG3 doesn’t much to expand basketball’s popularity in a way it helps the NBA. If anything, the BIG3’s who business model is to ride the NBA’s coattails and try to force the NBA to pretend as if the BIG3 is a sanctioned partner.
The BIG3 is trying to expand, using the NBA’s brand and prestige to their own benefit but it doesn’t help the NBA at all other than filling dates in NBA franchise controlled arenas in the summer.
They probably can’t make money directly
I avoid a lot of Olympics b/c the coverage (in the US) is so bad. But my god, 3v3 basketball was so much fun. Non stop movement where it all matters (no time wasted transitioning to other side of court), everyone involved on both sides of the ball at all times, and so much strategy wrt matchups (big vs speed, etc).
It would never replace 5v5 for me, but it absolutely should be it’s own thing.
3v3 is also the most popular version of street ball.
I wonder why the NBA doesn’t have mini-events during all-stars doing 1v1s and 3v3s, I am sure there are players who would LOVE to take part.
3 v 3 1 veteran 1 rising star 1 WNBA 1 legend
Make it happen!
no they wouldn’t, for the same reason why the stars don’t do the dunk contest anymore and why they half ass the ASG. a lot of these dudes live through social media and they’re afraid to get embarrassed.
Bro huh?? Just making shit up 😭
This is bullshit as players played in pro ams recently. It’s injury concerns
Players play in non-nba games literally all the time. Injury concerns are always present. If they didn’t want them playing in exhibition games, they wouldn’t play in the actual all star game to begin with.
There are insurance policies and contract obligations that dictate what events are optional, obligatory, or restricted.
These guys aren’t allowed to ride motorcycles after hitting a certain salary. It really matters where and how these guys get injured.
Guys with personal chefs talking about “i cut myself in the kitchen…”. lol don’t be surprised these dudes are worried about covering their asses when they get hurt off the nba court.
Have you watched an all start game?
They’re not exactly going hard.
We did have a couple good ASG in the last 5. Last years was so horrendous people forgot the previous good ones.
I think you’re right, MOST players would avoid a 1v1 or 3v3 contest during ASW. However, I do think you could find a few bench guys, or even GLeague guys who would take it seriously/competitive to try and make a name for themselves. Maybe casuals wouldn’t, but I would watch the shit out of that.
Its definitely injury concerns lol
Plenty of players talk about enjoying and growing up playing streetball in that format, some even brag about being the best at it.
1v1s(sometimes 2v2/3v3s when its a grp issue) are also how many players use to settle beef and compare skills during practice.
It’s nothing like the dunk contest where points are arbitrary.
I’m sure there will be players jumping in to prove themselves just for bragging rights if nothing else. (along with claiming their team is just holding them back, which is gonna be hilarious)
From f the police to begging them for help. What a piece of shit cube turned out to be.
Police do not arbitrate lawsuits, he’s meeting with lawyers. What are you talking about?
Not 1v1. The stake is too high and most players won’t try it.
I just don’t see every superstar willing to risk getting embarrassed on national TV.
Superstars at their peak most likely won’t want to, but upcoming rookies and slightly washed vets will lineup to join to prove their value.
Although I won’t exclude those skillful players who just want to show off their 1v1 skills, probably like a Luka or Kyrie if it’s a short form and fun tourney.
Maybe even people with mad beef like Poole or Dillion Brooks will be interested to make a statement.
So many ways to sell it tbh.
They’ll barely admit to playing 1 on 1 with each other in private.
all star game is 3v3 where retired Vets come back
They used to have that til people got injured
I love your post as it’s a great question. I’ll answer with this: When Lebron, KD, and all these other megastars do Pro-Ams and closed doors/limited capacity/camps/etc it’s just…for fun. I remember last year hearing about Chet’s injury occurring while playing against Lebron and my first thought was “WHERE WAS THIS???” They were just playing…for fun. I don’t even think there was more than one clip of his injury shown at the time.
SO, I think of this like I think of my own damn job. If I’m on the clock doing work, it’s work. If I’m asked by management to do work off the clock, I’m a bit mad, but I may still do it. I’m not volunteering to do it though - extra funding or “it’s the life of a salaried employee”.
If a friend though asks me to do my job for them…I’m giving them the advice and help they need. It’s “fun” work to me at that point. My job is boring, but if you’re wanting to know about it outside of my hours, I’m all for it.
I bet this is why someone like (insert popular NBA player) can’t be bothered to do a 3x3 but signs up to represent their country. They can’t be bothered to do the dunk contest but in warmup they’re doing 360s with ease. Difference between fun and work.
NBA is less about fun or the game, it’s more about the business, despite the fact that their business centres around the game itself.
the nba used to sponsor “Hoop it Up” back in the late 90s into the 00’s. It was HUGELY popular in some markets and in the beginning it was better run than Gus Macker.
But in later years we had waaaay more issues with Hoop it Up. One time they changed the location the NIGHT before the tourny was a huge pain in the ass. And One year they made us play a womens team because nobody signed up for the top gun league for women. We said we didn’t want to play them so they told us it’d be a loss in pool play so we said fuck it and played them and beat them 21-4 and I got yelled at by one of the players moms for “going to hard” I told her we were forced to play them so there you go.
The NBA has become more like a business and less about basketball, in the sense that it only wants a 5v5 game as the NBA structures it. NBA will fine tune the on court product as it sees fit through the rule changes that led to open games and more dunks+3s and more scoring (less big men post play as evident from FIBA just past).
Some mentioned injuries or contractual obligations that bar players - that’s just part of the business and contracts are based on CBA negotiations. Some mentioned that players didn’t want to embarrass themselves especially the established players - probably true to an extent and they want to preserve their image of being worth their contract - part of the business. But I’d love to see someone like FVV go against Tobias Harris 1v1 to see who’s overpaid, and I bet there are players who won’t back down from a challenge.
What it boils down to is that the NBA as it’s structured now is more about business. They want to expand the game internationally and they are doing the in season tournament, but the NBA game structure is defined in their 5v5 product. I don’t see them tweaking it. And hopefully there are others that can compete with them because this monopoly business isn’t great for basketball.
Same reason that the NFL stopped beach football. Injuries.
I loved 3v3 in my pick up days. It’s a much more efficient way of playing basketball, though I get when guys wanna do full. In my experience, for casual/amateur players, full court becomes more of a game of endurance than it is about basketball skill, hah.