The BIG3 basketball atmosphere is one of a West Coast summer-style block party — quite literally — bursting with frenetic hip-hop energy brought straight to the hardwood.
At the center is legendary rapper and Hollywood A-lister Ice Cube, who, between games, stands before a BIG3-branded backdrop in the bowels of the Intuit Dome, greeting families and flashing Westside hand signs as cameras click.
“It takes a village; all these people have honed their skills to be the best,” Ice Cube, the league’s co-owner and founder, said of the atmosphere.
Rooted in the streetball tradition of three-on-three hoops played on neighborhood blacktops, the league rolled out its Summer in the City tour — a day-long showcase with eight teams vying for a $1-million championship.
Not shy on production value, the event offers an unusually intimate setting — players mingling casually around the concourse, almost like an AAU tournament. Or comedic stars Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer serving as guest sideline reporters, greeting every fan who stops by with a quick hello.
But for the South-Central–born rapper, whose league has toured the country, Saturday’s showcase in Inglewood marked the first time his hometown crowd could watch one of the BIG3’s newest — and first privately owned — franchises, the LA Riot, play live.
A franchise namesake born from L.A.’s history of tumultuous racial unrest — evoking memories of the 1992 Rodney King riots — also symbolizes a movement, rebellion and cultural takeover, just as Ice Cube envisioned.
“It was a dream come true, not too far from where I grew up,” Ice Cube said. “So to have a league like this, right at the house, is just beautiful.”
After seven years of unaffiliated teams, the BIG3 shifted to a city-based model to cultivate loyal fan bases and sell franchises to local owners. Using L.A. as the blueprint — with a $10-million price tag — the hope is to bring long-term stability to the league.
“We’re going to these eight cities every year,” Ice Cube said. “We can plan long term, hopefully grow the league to other cities, [who] want to get in on the act.”
Since 2017, part of that stability has been built on the backs of veteran players — athletes well past their NBA primes and no longer chasing NBA contracts. Among them is newly elected Naismith Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, alongside names like Joe Johnson, Michael Beasley, and Lance Stephenson.
Howard, a member of the 2020 Lakers championship team, made a highly anticipated return to the city where he played three seasons across three separate stints. With his signing, he has become the face of the Riot, committing to play his final season of professional basketball with the club.
“It’s our first year, we’re just getting started,” Howard said. “We’re looking forward to keeping it going. Obviously, the first year is always a little difficult — trying to get to know each other — but we’re doing a great job.”
Howard has dabbled in ownership ventures, investing $7 million to purchase the WNBA Atlanta Dream — a deal that later turned out to be a scam — and joining the Asian Tournament, an international league, as a co-owner and player for the Taiwan Mustangs.
In his first Big3 season, Howard has witnessed how well the league connects with its fans, a connection he believes will be key to its long-term success.
Christopher Thomas, 35, a lifelong Angeleno who brought his daughter and best friend to Saturday’s Big3 games, was rocking a No. 12 Howard Riot jersey. Thomas left the arena converted after initially scoring free tickets through his job.
“I have to admit, I never heard of the BIG3,” Thomas said. “Now I’m leaving as a Riot fan, especially with my boy Dwight Howard on the team.”
For Thomas, the draw went beyond basketball. It was the atmosphere, constant energy between games and novelty the league offered. The experience was “something new, something different,” he said — the kind that will have him back in the stands when the BIG3 returns to town.
Making headway in localized markets, Howard — who has played overseas several times throughout his career — says the league can also tap into those international markets with smart decisions and profitability.
“Oh, international,” Howard said. “BIG3 international is what we’re looking for.”
On the globalization front, the league is planning exhibitions in Australia and Asia, which Ice Cube hopes will come to fruition soon.
For now, though, the focus remains on expanding and privatizing within the U.S., beyond L.A., Houston, Detroit and Miami. The BIG3 also aims to grow beyond its current eight-team format by securing investors for four city-based teams, and then aims for further expansion down the line.
“We got some smart people who are buying teams, people who can help us grow the league,” Ice Cube said. “Not just sign a check, but to help us be innovative. Help us with sponsors. We want owners who are active.”
While expansion plans continue to be discussed behind closed doors, the league’s public focus remains on its fast, physical and unpredictable style — all of which was on full display as the action at the Intuit Dome wound down.
The Riot’s matchup against the Boston Ball Hogs came down to the wire with a playoff berth on the line. Clawing back from a 48-45 deficit, the Riot unleashed desperate four-point shots and dove for loose balls galore.
Eventually taking the lead, the Riot-friendly crowd spilled from its seats into the walkways surrounding the court, watching with bated breath as Jordan Crawford drained a walk-off three-pointer to seal a 52-48 victory.
“At the end of the day, I can only do so much to get people hyped up,” Ice Cube said of the appeal of the Big3. “The basketball has to be pure.”
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