The BIG3 Draft Lottery has positioned several teams to challenge for the 2019 championship.
The BIG3 Draft Combine and Lottery took place on Tuesday night, as an appetizer for the 2019 BIG3 Draft, airing Wednesday at 10 pm ET, live on CBS Sports Network.
132 players, many of them former NBA ballers, competed for available Draft slots.
2019 Combine Recap! Who’s got what it takes to make the cut? 🔥🔥🔥 #BIG3Draft pic.twitter.com/2f9YxRuYEl
— BIG3 (@thebig3) May 1, 2019
After the combine at Tarkanian Basketball Academy in Vegas, the Draft Lottery took place at Delano Las Vegas. Representatives from each of the 11 eligible teams picked a lottery ball with a number on it out of a black box bearing the BIG3 logo. The team rep could be a player captain, co-captain or coach.
According to league rules, last year’s BIG3 champion Power doesn’t get to participate in the Draft. BIG3 Coach of the Year Nancy Lieberman’s squad, led by 2018 MVP Corey Magette and Chris “Birdman” Andersen, 2018 Defensive Player of the Year, have to go into battle with the same team this season.
They don’t get to add players from the deep pool of talented eligible draft selections. Unlike the NBA, a new order is selected for each round to keep the odds fair. It’s one of the many ways that the BIG3 attempts to appeal to the fans and keep the entire league competitive.
BIG3 launched in 2017 and has been expanding its audience and talent pool ever since.
Allen Iverson, Chancey Billups, Kenyon Martin, Stephen Jackson, and Amar’e Stoudemire were the biggest player names over the first two seasons, while NBA legends like Julius Erving, George Gervin, Rick Barry, Gary Payton, Michael Cooper, and Charles Oakley were head coaches. The positive growth and additional star power have forced some changes for the 2019 jump off.
BIG3 Big Announcements:
1. Expanding from 8 teams to 12
2. Lowering age from 30 to 27
3. Allowing NBA & Int’l pro players
4. Lisa Leslie will head coach the TRIPLETS
5. Playing in 18 cities
6. Playing 2 times a week— Ice Cube (@icecube) January 10, 2019
Former Lakers star LaMar Odom is Co-Captain of The Enemies along with former NBA sharp-shooter Agent O, Gilbert Arenas. Odom and Arenas haven’t played a BIG3 game and are already among the most popular Big3 participants.
Odom selected the No. 1 pick off the rip, continuing the stroke of good luck he’s been on since separating from the Kardashian curse and getting sober. He was followed by former NBA star Josh Smith, a captain for team BIVOUAC. Smith drew the ninth pick and it was on from there.
Here are the results of the three rounds:
NOTE: BIG3 Finals runner-up 3’s Company didn’t get a pick in the second round because they elected to instead retain Jason Maxiell on their roster.
ICYMI: The round-by-round order for the #BIG3Draft as selected during last night's lottery. Enemies will pick first to get the night started! 3's Company did not participate in the second round of the lottery because they have elected to retain Jason Maxiell on their roster. pic.twitter.com/3496w7HyAX
— BIG3 (@thebig3) May 1, 2019
The games have to be played to find out who got the bag on Draft night, but going into the draft, 3-HEADED MONSTERS consisting of former pros Rashard Lewis (Captain), Reggie Evans and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf will add some top-flight youth and talent to an already formidable core with the No. 3 pick in each of the first two rounds and the No.2 pick in the third round.
Coach Lisa Leslie’s L.A. “Triplets” starring Odom, Arenas and fellow captains Joe Johnson and Al Jefferson, will be a team to watch as they have three former NBA All-Stars and a chance to add some dynamic players with the No 2 pick of the first round, No. 5 pick of the second round and No. 1 pick of the third round.
After tonight’s Draft, it will be easier to access the strengths and weaknesses of each BIG3 squad.
