The BIG3, the 3-on-3 basketball league founded by rapper Ice Cube, will embark on its sixth season this summer, which includes a return to Little Caesars Arena in downtown Detroit.
The league will tip-off at United Center Arena in Chicago on June 25 and will conclude its eight-week regular season in Detroit on Aug. 13 at 12 p.m. It will mark the BIG3’s third appearance at Little Caesars Arena and first return to Detroit since 2019.
The BIG3 will bring its competitive 3-on-3 games to several NBA cities, including Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Memphis, Miami and New York, where the league will host an outdoor festival on July 9 at the historic Arthur Ashe Stadium. Games will be broadcast on CBS and Paramount+.
“Now that we’re back in 20,000-seat strong arenas, we know that it’s going to go down this summer,” Cube said in a statement. “Our fans don’t just come for games. They come for the full BIG3 experience, on and off the court. We have persevered for six seasons against all odds and expectations — even through COVID-19 — because we have the most skilled players, innovative partners, the best venues, and most importantly, the best fans in sports. We will continue to break barriers, bring in viewers, and prove the critics wrong by providing the best sports experience of the summer all season long.”
The BIG3 has featured several notable players that have retired from the NBA, including Pistons assistant/player development coach Rashard Lewis, who won the league’s Most Valuable Player award during the inaugural 2017 season.
Pistons great and current team radio analyst Rick Mahorn earned Coach of the Year honors in 2017 after leading Trilogy to a perfect 10-0 season, which culminated with the first BIG 3 championship.
Former Pistons Chauncey Billups and Allen Iverson were key figures in the BIG3’s first season. Former Pistons big man Jason Maxiell played for 3’s Company in 2018.
The BIG3’s playoff and championship game cities are expected to be announced at a later date, the league says.
mcurtis@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @MikeACurtis2