Watch BIG3 Basketball
- 2017
- 1 Season
-
5.9 (18)
The BIG3 Basketball league is a professional 3-on-3 basketball league featuring former NBA players. The league was founded by rapper and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017. The leagueâs inaugural season aired on FOX Sports 1.
The leagueâs format consists of eight teams, each containing five players. The teams are named after major cities, such as the Brooklyn Nets, the Los Angeles Lakers, and the Miami Heat. The teams play a round-robin tournament, where each team plays every other team once in a five-game series. The top four teams advance to the playoffs, which are single-elimination games.
The league boasts a number of former NBA stars, including Allen Iverson, Julius Erving, Rashard Lewis, Chris Gatling, and Mike Bibby. The players range in age from their mid-30s to mid-50s, and the majority of them retired from the NBA more than five years ago.
The leagueâs rules are slightly different from traditional basketball. The game is played on a half-court, and the shot clock is only 14 seconds. Players are required to take the ball beyond the three-point line after a rebound or a change of possession. The first team to 50 points wins, but the game must be won by at least two points. There are also four-point circles on the court, which allow players to score four points if they make a shot behind the circle.
The leagueâs biggest star is Allen Iverson, who was also one of the leagueâs coaches for the 2017 season. Iverson is a former NBA MVP and 11-time All-Star, and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history. Iversonâs team, 3âs Company, featured former NBA players Dahntay Jones, DerMarr Johnson, and Andre Owens. The team finished the season with a 5-3 record.
Another notable player in the league is Julius Erving, who was a coach for the Tri-State team. Erving, also known as âDr. J,â is a basketball legend and Hall of Famer who played in the NBA from 1971 to 1987. Tri-Stateâs roster also included former NBA players Bonzi Wells and Dominic McGuire.
The leagueâs games were well-received by fans, who appreciated the opportunity to see former NBA stars play in a different format. The games had a more laid-back atmosphere than traditional basketball games, with music playing throughout and players occasionally taking breaks to dance or interact with the crowd.
In addition to the on-court action, the BIG3 also featured a number of off-court events, including a halftime show featuring musical acts and a celebrity game featuring former NFL players.
The leagueâs success led to expansion in 2018, with the addition of four new teams and an extended regular season. The league also introduced a new rule called the âfour-point circle rule,â which allows players to score four points if they make a shot from a designated circle on the court. The league also increased its roster size to six players per team.
In conclusion, the BIG3 Basketball league is a professional 3-on-3 basketball league featuring former NBA players. The leagueâs inaugural season aired on FOX Sports 1 in 2017 and was well-received by fans. The leagueâs format features eight teams, each containing five players, who play a round-robin tournament followed by single-elimination playoffs. The leagueâs biggest star is Allen Iverson, who is also a coach in the league. The leagueâs success led to expansion in 2018, with the addition of four new teams and new rule changes.