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[XiaNaphryz]

https://sports.yahoo.com/news/roger...ing-ice-cube-in-new-pro-league-125916219.html

Deputy executive director Roger Mason is leaving the National Basketball Players Association to become president and commissioner of a new professional basketball league for retired NBA players, The Vertical has learned.

Mason’s departure comes at the conclusion of the union’s negotiations for a new seven-year Collective Bargaining Agreement, which sources say will be ratified Friday with the final tally of player voting due.

Mason is partnering with film actor and rapper Ice Cube and investors to bring a summertime league called the BIG3 – a three-on-three, half-court basketball league – to cities and venues starting in June.

Plans include eight teams of five players – including an ex-player as coach, as well as a team captain – that’ll tour together from city to city starting in late June.

So far, retired NBA players Kenyon Martin, Stephen Jackson, Jermaine O’Neal, Rashard Lewis and Jason Williams are some of the players committed to play on teams, league officials said. Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton has agreed to be one of the coaches, league officials said.

Ice Cube is the founder of the new league – along with his longtime business partner and Hollywood CEO Jeff Kwatinetz. Ice Cube told The Vertical that he has been intimately involved in the planning, development and execution of the league’s start-up. Until Mason was recruited to leave the NBPA, Ice Cube had considered taking on the responsibilities of being the BIG3 commissioner, he told The Vertical.

“I thought of this concept as a fan who got sick of seeing his heroes retire and not play anymore,” Ice Cube told The Vertical. “A lot of these guys can still play once they retire – just not the back-to-backs or four games in five nights.

“I started to look at three-on-three basketball and wondered, ‘Why isn’t this played on a pro level?’ It’s the most normal form of basketball. And from there it was like, ‘Yo, why don’t we make this happen?’

“Not only do we get a chance to see these guys keep playing, but we give guys who retired who still got some game – who don’t want to pick up a [microphone] on TV and who don’t want to go overseas to play … some of these guys still want a stage to play on.”

The BIG3’s bet is that the skills and shot-making of players will be compelling without running up and down the floor and the taxing of bodies on a nightly basis. The plan is for the eight teams to be a part of a four-game basketball festival amid musical acts and entertainment. The league would start on June 24 and play for 10 consecutive weeks, touring cities throughout the summer.

The league has been working to secure a television rights deal, league officials said.

“In the summer, people have a basketball hangover from the [NBA] Finals and nothing to watch but some midseason baseball and football players warming up. It sucks, and [the attraction is] to have a league to look forward to, and players they know and want to see ball against each other – grown-man basketball with guys who can still battle.

EDIT: https://big3.com/league-philosophy/teams

Full team rosters:

3'S COMPANY
ALLEN IVERSON (CAPTAIN)
DERMARR JOHNSON (CO-CAPTAIN)
ANDRE OWENS
MIKE SWEETNEY
RUBEN PATTERSON
PLAYER COACH: ALLEN IVERSON

3 HEADED MONSTERS
RASHARD LEWIS (CAPTAIN)
JASON WILLIAMS (CO-CAPTAIN)
KWAME BROWN
EDDIE BASDEN
MAHMOUD ABDUL-RAUF
COACH: GARY PAYTON

BALL HOGS
BRIAN SCALABRINE (CAPTAIN)
JOSH CHILDRESS (CO-CAPTAIN)
DERRICK BYARS
RASUAL BUTLER
DOMINIC MCGUIRE
COACH: RICK BARRY

KILLER 3s
CHAUNCEY BILLUPS (CAPTAIN)
STEPHEN JACKSON (CO-CAPTAIN)
REGGIE EVANS
LARRY HUGHES
BRIAN COOK
PLAYER COACH: CHARLES OAKLEY

TRILOGY
KENYON MARTIN (CAPTAIN)
AL HARRINGTON (CO-CAPTAIN)
RASHAD MCCANTS
JAMES WHITE
DION GLOVER
COACH: RICK MAHORN

POWER
COREY MAGGETTE (CAPTAIN)
CUTTINO MOBLEY (CO-CAPTAIN)
JEROME WILLIAMS
DESHAWN STEVENSON
MOOCHIE NORRIS
COACH: CLYDE DREXLER

TRI-STATE
JERMAINE O'NEAL (CAPTAIN)
BONZI WELLS (CO-CAPTAIN)
XAVIER SILAS
LEE NAILON
MIKE JAMES
COACH: JULIUS "DR J" ERVING

GHOST BALLERS
MIKE BIBBY (CAPTAIN)
RICKY DAVIS (CO-CAPTAIN)
MO EVANS
MARCUS BANKS
IVAN JOHNSON
COACH: GEORGE GERVIN

https://big3.com/league-philosophy/schedule

Schedule:

WEEK 1 | June 25: Barclays Center | Brooklyn, NY
Ghost Ballers vs 3 Headed Monsters
Tri-State vs Power
3's Company vs Ball Hogs
Killer 3s vs Trilogy

WEEK 2 | July 2: Spectrum Center | Charlotte, NC
Ball Hogs vs Tri-State
Trilogy vs 3 Headed Monsters
Power vs Killer 3s
3's Company vs Ghost Ballers

WEEK 3 | July 9: BOK Center | Tulsa, OK
Power vs 3 Headed Monsters
Killer 3s vs Tri-State
Ball Hogs vs Ghost Ballers
Trilogy vs 3's Company

WEEK 4 | July 16: Wells Fargo Center | Philadelphia, PA
Ghost Ballers vs Power
Trilogy vs Ball Hogs
Killer 3s vs 3 Headed Monsters
3's Company vs Tri-State

WEEK 5 | July 23: UIC Pavilion | Chicago, IL
Ball Hogs vs Power
Tri-State vs Trilogy
Killer 3s vs Ghost Ballers
3's Company vs 3 Headed Monsters

WEEK 6 | July 30: American Airlines Center | Dallas, TX
Killer 3s vs Ball Hogs
3's Company vs Power
Trilogy vs Ghost Ballers
Tri-State vs 3 Headed Monsters

WEEK 7 | August 6: Rupp Arena | Lexington, KY
Tri-State vs Ghost Ballers
Trilogy vs Power
Ball Hogs vs 3 Headed Monsters
Killer 3s vs 3's Company

WEEK 8 | August 13: Staples Center | Los Angeles, CA
Ghost Ballers vs 3 Headed Monsters
Tri-State vs Power
3's Company vs Ball Hogs
Killer 3s vs Trilogy

WEEK 9 | August 20: Key Arena | Seattle, WA (Playoffs)

WEEK 10 | August 26: T-Mobile Arena | Las Vegas, NV (Championship)

 

[Ninja Scooter]

AKA The Larry Holmes Invitational

 

[Monochromaticx]

Sounds cool. Hope AI plays

 

[Arc]

This needs some bigger names if it's going to be successful.

 

[Transistor]

That's really cool.

 

[Jarrod38]

Scottie Pippen be like how much does it pay.

 

[Chris R]

First to x points or timed games?

And will each team have more timeouts than fingers? I need to know.

 

[Big Baybee]

I'd watch

 

[theWB27]

I hope some players get in there cause this sounds awesome.

 

[Hands of Stone]

AKA The Larry Holmes Invitational

 

[hokahey]

With the success of the NFL in overseas markets, I've often wondered why there isn't more touring sporting events. I have seen however where preseason hockey/basketball is done like this in markets without teams, which I think is pretty cool.

 

[Sanjuro]

Scalabrine is going to dominate.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

This needs some bigger names if it's going to be successful.

It reminds me of when the NFL has the combine for old players a few years ago to try and draw interest for them as free agents. Cool on paper until you watch and then it's like "oh yeah that's why these guys are out of the league..."

 

[Battersea Power Station]

I thought of this concept as a fan who got sick of seeing his heroes retire and not play anymore.

Yeah, but it'll be doubly sad when they retire from this league. Unless there's another league for them to play in after that. Xzibit should start that.

 

[Slayven]

Scottie Pippen be like how much does it pay.

Future needs some new shoes

 

[ElectricBlanketFire]

Scottie Pippen be like how much does it pay.

He has a steady gig getting drunk at Bulls games.

 

[Slayven]

It never ceases to amaze me that the dude that wrote "No Vaseline" is a family friendly name.

Get that money Cube, you beat the game.

 

[Diprosalic]

This needs some bigger names if it's going to be successful.

bigger names don't need to play ball anymore.

 

[Bronx-Man]

Jordan's gotta be itching to playing some hoops again.

 

[Slayven]

Jordan's gotta be itching to playing some hoops again.

Bill Laimbeer going to show up and be like "Y'all about to get this combat basketball"

 

[Big Baybee]

Jordan's gotta be itching to playing some hoops again.

He's still in really good shape I think. Would be awesome.

 

[gutshot]

Future needs some new shoes

Is that your wifey, wifey, wifey, wifey?
I think I like her, like her, like her, like her

 

[Guzim]

T-Mac is finally gonna get that ring!

 

[Master Thespian]

Scottie Pippen be like how much does it pay.

Future needs some new shoes

 

[sans_pants]

I'd watch it on tv

 

[theWB27]

T-Mac is finally gonna get that ring!

He still out in the first round...even in this league.

I'm waiting on the Stevie Franchise siting.

 

[itwasTuesday]

How long before it becomes Rock N Jock?

 

[Ninja Scooter]

He still out in the first round...even in this league.

I'm waiting on the Stevie Franchise siting.

 

[R-User!]

Are you listening Kobe?

 

[BennyBlanco]

Could be cool but nobody is gonna care if they don't get a TV deal and it's guys like Jerome Moiso and Stro Swift playing

 

[Slayven]

How long before it becomes Rock N Jock?

Dan Cortez use to play that shit like it was real.

 

[shira]

skills and shot-making of players will be compelling without running up and down the floor

Rofl.

 

[FyreWulff]

It never ceases to amaze me that the dude that wrote "No Vaseline" is a family friendly name.

Get that money Cube, you beat the game.

people tend to forget the hustle means never stop working the money

cube's got it down, he's got adult content, kids content, and family content. checks from every direction.

 

[Data West]

 

[itwasTuesday]

Dan Cortez use to play that shit like it was real.

That mimbo.

 

[Dali]

Sounds exactly like the and1 tour, except players in the and1 tour could probably beat all the teams in the big3.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

Dan Cortez use to play that shit like it was real.

Jeff Ament out their hitting 30 pointers and shit.

 

[XiaNaphryz]

I'm waiting on the Stevie Franchise siting.

Will Starbury be willing to head back from China for this?

 

[WorldStar]

Black mamba

 

[Monochromaticx]

Are you listening Kobe?

I don't think he is listening with all the 💰💰💰 he is enjoying

 

[theWB27]

He still got that look in his eyes.

Spoiler

Damn though...

Will Starbury be willing to head back from China for this?

Only if he brings Van Horn with him. Whereever he is.

 

[neptunes]

Remove the Celebrity Game from All-Star weekend and add this instead, no need to stretch it out for multiple games.

 

[Village]

I would watch the shit out of that.

Like you putting in an old version of NBA live.

 

[DMczaf]

Do they get the 90s NBC NBA theme???

 

[BennyBlanco]

Are you listening Kobe?

Kobe could go to Europe and make an obscene amount to play for 1 season if he still wanted to play

 

[aygomyownroad]

Yup in the UK we have the "masters" which is retired football (soccer) players play indoor 5 a side. 10 min per half. Its blistering and great to watch.

Its great seeing your old heroes play.

Hope this takes off as the format could be great, a few matches in the one Venue one after the other.

 

[Tom Nook]

Patrick Ewing, Charles Oakley, and John Starks. Bring It!

 

[CB3]

Id watch the fuck out of this.

 

[Dali]

I would watch the shit out of that.

Like you putting in an old version of NBA live.

I literally lolled at this.

AI vs Jordan Pt. 2. This time someone's ankles are literally getting broke.

 

[Bronx-Man]

Damn I forgot about Iverson, he'd be perfect for this