As Ice Cube’s Big3 basketball league prepares for its 10th season in 2027, this current season has brought excitement and a financial infusion that ensures that the first 3v3 pro league of its kind continues to break ground and grow in popularity.
Big3 $290M Merger: Goes Public
The league is set to go public through a $290 million merger agreement with Graf Global Corp. This move will make Big3 the first publicly traded professional sports league in U.S. history. The league, co-founded by Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz, aims to expand its reach and engage fans more actively.
Once it goes public, fans can actually own a share of the league and participate actively in its growth and success.
In the meantime, with new money and a new visibility, the league might be changing its focus a bit more as well.
Is Big 3 Becoming WWE Hoops?
In the Big3’s opening games on June 20, some very well known former NBA players took physicality to a next level and the game broke out into a street brawl led by Dwight Howard, Michael Beasley and Lance Stepheson.
The alleged brawls were so extreme that the game had to end in a forfeit.
The game pitted Miami 305 against the LA Riot, and highlighted four players who did their thing in the NBA.
Michael Beasley and Lance Stephenson, both on Miami 305, were the two ejected. Beasley got into a nasty scuffle with Howard, while Stephenson threw a punch at Jordan Crawford after a hard foul.
The two ejections left Miami 305 with just two available players, which forced a forfeit and ended the game, to the dismay of the paid attendees.
Howard is the most decorated of the former NBA platers involved. An NBA Hall of Fame inductee (2025) and the No. 1 overall pick in 2004, boasting eight All-Star appearances, a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and winning an NBA Bubble championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 before finishing his playing days in Taiwan.
Beasley was the No. 2 overall pick in 2008 and while he had some flashes of brilliance, has spent most of his career complaining about how he was misunderstood and mistreated in the league, while battling mental health issues.
Lance “Born Ready” Stephenson is a Brooklyn hoops legend who built his reputation as a skilled two-way guard with the Indiana Pacers, where he became known for getting under opponents’ skin, and most famously, blowing in LeBron James’ ear during the 2014 playoffs.
Crawford was a well-traveled journeyman who suited up for the Atlanta Hawks, Washington Wizards and Boston Celtics, among others.
Big3 games are always very physical and intense, but it’s not clear if that brawl is the product Cube wants to put on the floor. Then again, it definitely makes this writer want to catch the next game, so maybe the players were in on something the public didn’t know about.
Ice Cube Posts Apology With Statement From Big 3 Commish
Cube posted an apology to the fans on his X account on June 20 above a statement released by Big3 Commissioner Clyde “the Glide” Drexler.
Beasley’s Pregame Trash Talk Sets the Stage for On-Court Tension
The tension was brewing prior to the opening games with Beasley, serving as Miami 305 captain and actively hyping the Week 1 matchup against Dwight Howard and the LA Riot.
In public comments and interviews, Beasley trash-talked Howard a bunch and even referred to the former Orlando Magic star as the league’s “biggest stripper” while dominating him on the court. Additionally, he referenced prior success against Howard’s team from the previous season, where Beasley had helped lead Miami to a championship while rattling Howard’s squad, and switched up his approach with more aggressive language and music references to build intensity.
Fans React To Big3 Brawls Involving Former NBA Star
Just last season Dwight and Lance got into it with what seemed to be a somewhat scripted but physical confrontation.
Fans and sports podcasters such as Joe Johnson of Shannon Sharpe and Ochocinco’s “Night Cap” podcast had strong reactions to the ruckus.
Johnson, a Big3 legend in his own right, wasn’t with Ice Cube continuing to let the same guys muck up the action.
“You don’t want to see it come to suspensions but when you a damn repeat offender, bro… you can’t have the animals running the zoo.,” Iso Joe said.
“I forgot Lance Stephenson existed. If he blows in Dwight Howards ear, he may get more than he expects,” said one fan.
“The Big3 had more entertainment than the NBA playoffs this year but let’s be real, as much flak you guys give Dwight Howard, dude would beat the sh-t outta Micheal Beasley lmfao. Lance Stephenson also may have people who hate him, but he can also put Jordan Crawford on his ass lol,” said another fan who was totally captivated by the action.
“Like watching your uncles fight at the cookout,” one unapproving fan said.
“Michael ‘I failed because Spo conspired against me’ Beasley. At 40 years old,” quipped one netizen.
The pusbackon X was minimal.
“This is straight up embarrassing for the league. Fans paid money and is forced to leave due to the players actions.. They need to add a few players to the rosters in case something like this happens again,” a disgruntled user commented.
“This sh-t’s too ghetto,” said another “The concept is so good, but man, these guys are outta control for no reason just a bunch of overgrown babies with no emotional intelligence.”
Big3 Launching Its 10th Season
The Big3 is celebrating its 2026 season. This season will feature the same eight city-based teams as the previous season, with a total of 13 one-day events scheduled from June 20 to Aug. 24.
Expect more live action with Stephenson and Beasley playing their brand of bully ball and building a culture where fans can expect to see plenty of more rough stuff than in the NBA, which almost completely lost its notorious “street” edge.
