Ice Cube offered Caitlin Clark a $5 million deal. What is his Big 3 League?
Caitlin Clark received a multi-million offer to launch her post-college career in Ice Cube's BIG 3 league.
The rapper, actor and co-founder of the basketball league offered Clark $5 million to play. If the Hawkeye point guard agreed to the deal, she would be the first woman player in the BIG 3.
TMZ published an article announcing the offer, and Ice Cube confirmed it calling Clark a "generational athlete."
"We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship," Ice Cube said on social media while reposting the article. "But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3."
So what is the BIG 3?
What is the BIG 3 League?
Founded in 2017 by Ice Cube, the BIG 3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league, according to USA Today. There are 12 teams that travel the country competing for an annual championship.
The 2024 season tips off on June 15 at Oakland Arena in the Bay Area. There are 10 games this season with matchups in Baltimore, Portland and wrapping up Aug. 18 at TD Garden, home of the NBA's Boston Celtics.
Former NBA players Allen Iverson, Joe Johnson, Stephen Jackson, Nick Young, Gerald Green and Rashard Lewis as well as famed Drew League MVP Frank "Nitty" Sessions have all played in the BIG 3.
The BIG 3 reportedly is not on great terms with the NBA, which owns the WNBA. In November, the Wall Street Journal reported that the Department of Justice started an investigation to see if the NBA violated anti-trust law in its dealings with the BIG 3. BIG 3 officials went to the department and said the NBA was trying to undermine it.
Who is Ice Cube?
A Los Angeles-based entertainment mogul, Ice Cube's beginnings in music started alongside Eazy-E and Dr. Dre in the rap group N.W.A. He is most notably known for writing the songs "Straight Outta Compton" and "F--- tha Police" as part of N.W.A, according to his bio on the BIG 3 website.
Ice Cube also was the executive producer of the 2015 "Straight Outta Compton" and has appeared in dozens of movies.
Who is Caitlin Clark?
Garnering national attention, Clark is the NCAA women's No.1-ranked player. She has three Big Ten Player of the Year awards under her belt. This season, Clark made history breaking the all-time career scoring record for NCAA Division I teams with a total of 3,685 points. She was also named AP National Player of the year award in 2023 and was nominated for Player of the Year for the second consecutive year.
Clark led the Hawkeyes to the first-ever NCAA women's basketball championship game in 2023, but the team lost to LSU. She's driven up season ticket sales and sold out multiple arenas generating millions for the state.
More:Caitlin Clark and Lisa Bluder are up for Naismith Awards. How Iowa fans can help them win.
Over her basketball career with the Hawkeyes, Clark has generated millions of dollars for the state of Iowa.
Has Caitlin Clark responded to Ice Cube's Big 3 offer?
Clark has not responded to the offer on any social media. She declared in February this will be her last season of college basketball, opening her to the 2024 WNBA draft. She is expected to be the No. 1 pick for the draft, according to USA Today.
"America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off-seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet," Ice Cube also said in a social media post.
Ice Cube appeared on "The Pat McAfee Show" the day of the offer and said he believes Clark could play in the BIG 3 and WNBA, according to ESPN.
More:How much money does the 'Caitlin Clark effect' generate for Iowa?
When does Caitlin Clark play next?
Clark and the Iowa Hawkeyes women's basketball team will face No. 5 seed Colorado in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 on Saturday. The game, hosted at MVP Arena in Albany, tips off at 2:30 p.m. central.
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.