Ice Cube’s newly formed 3-on-3 half court basketball league, BIG3, has brought on Clyde Drexler, Rick Barry and Rick Mahorn as coaches. The trio joins Gary Payton and George Gervin who are already confirmed coaches.
The new league was announced at a press conference two weeks ago. Already boasting names like Iverson, Kenyon Martin and Mike Bibby; the addition of Drexler, Barry and Mahorn continue to add legitimacy. These guys are part of a small fraternity of ex NBA players. Their peers will want to be a part of this once the league experiences a little success. Rick Barry echoed that sentiment, saying:
When I learned about the quality of the individuals involved in the creation of the league, along with name players, I reached out immediately to lend my coaching experience and become a part of what I think will be a competitive and entertaining league. Hundreds of millions of people worldwide compete in 3-on-3 basketball, but nowhere will you find the caliber of players found in the BIG3.
The regular season will begin on June 24th and end on August 12th. Playoff games will be August 19th and 26th. Teams will play one game per week on Saturday with all four games taking place in the same venue on the same day. The BIG 3 will also introduce the 4-point shot via three 4-point circles beyond the 3-point line. League President, Roger Mason Jr. is pleased the league is experiencing such tremendous early momentum, saying:
We are excited for these three icons to join our league. The addition of these greats and the outpouring of interest from our industry continues the incredible momentum and enthusiasm we’ve seen for the BIG3 since the league was announced.