Ice Cube gained fame through music, both as part of the legendary group NWA and as a prominent solo artist. However, the entertainment mogul added sports league owner to his resume, and the results paid off. In 2017 O’Shea “Ice Cube” Jackson and his longtime business partner Jeff Kwatinetz announced their plans for a professional basketball league. Many detractors and fans looked upon the two with skepticism. Many assumed that nothing could ever thrive in a world dominated by the NBA. Would this endeavor even get off the ground before it was suffocated by the behemoth NBA? As it turned out not only could the league survive but could thrive due to the sheer uniqueness it brought to basketball fans.
BIG3’s Unique Format
Ice Cube’s BIG3 league never sought to compete with the NBA. Instead, its goal consisted of legitimizing and professionalizing a version of basketball played by many. BIG3’s format is not the typical 5-on-5 game that the NBA uses. Cube’s league plays a half-court 3-on-3 version of the game. Many cite this format as the main reason behind the success of BIG3. The version of basketball played is familiar to many in urban and densely populated areas. Due to space constraints, many amateurs play without the use of a full-court or teams. Seeing their style of play legitimized certainly appeals to many basketball fans. The league even helped to get this style of play recognized as an Olympic event. That is not the only reason for the league’s success and expansion.
All-Star Legacies
Another reason for the continued success is the way BIG3 taps into basketball history to draw in fans. Many of the people involved in BIG3 are recognizable figures of the sport. For example, the current commissioner of BIG3 is ten-time NBA All-Star Clyde Drexler. Aside from him other greats like Rick Barry, George “The Iceman” Gervin, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, and WNBA Champion Lisa Leslie are also involved in the league.
The Takeaway
Ice Cube’s BIG3 serves as proof that in an era where entertainment is dominated by a select few entities new ideas can thrive. They need to honor the past while also making a way for new ideas to come in and be tried out. This difficult-to-balance act is exactly what Ice Cube has done with BIG3 and it seems to be working out for everyone.
Ryan Fields
