August 12, 2025
‘We’re going to these eight cities every year,” Ice Cube said. “We can plan long-term, hopefully grow the league to other cities, [who] want to get in on the act,’ Cube said.
Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league transitioned to a new format this season, becoming a location-based league. The former N.W.A. member and Orlando Magic Hall of Famer, Dwight Howard, who plays for the LA Riot, spoke about how the league’s expansion benefits the sport.
According to the Los Angeles Times, just in time for the BIG3 to host the week’s slate of games, the media outlet was able to hear from Cube and Howard about the first year that the BIG3 switched to cities having franchises after having teams in the league play at different locations weekly during the season. Launched in 2017, the 3-on-3 basketball league was founded by Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz.
Although the games were played throughout the country, each team was not affiliated with a specific city, as games were held in the same arenas throughout the BIG3 season. Now that the league has switched to location-based play, it has franchises in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, the DMV metropolitan area (comprising Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Virginia), Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami.
Cube, famously known for expressing to the world, along with his group, N.W.A., the atmosphere and climate in the “hoods” of Los Angeles in the late 1980s to the 1990s, through their independent label, Ruthless Records, is from the South Central section of L.A. The LA Riots were aptly named after the infamous 1992 LA riots that took place in the urban city.
“It was a dream come true, not too far from where I grew up,” Ice Cube said. “So to have a league like this, right at the house, is just beautiful.”
The lyricist and successful businessman is also anticipating the expansion to more cities in the future.
“We’re going to these eight cities every year,” Ice Cube said. “We can plan long-term, hopefully grow the league to other cities, [who] want to get in on the act.”
Howard, playing in his first year in the league, was lured to the league and picked up by the Los Angeles team, which sees the potential in his first-year squad.
“It’s our first year, we’re just getting started,” Howard said. “We’re looking forward to keeping it going. Obviously, the first year is always a little difficult — trying to get to know each other — but we’re doing a great job.”
Next week’s set of games will be played in Dallas, Aug. 17, at the American Airlines Arena.
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