BIG3

BIG3

Current season, competition or edition: 2017 BIG3 season
BIG3 official logo created by persource
Sport	Basketball
Founded	January 11, 2017 (2017-01-11)
Founder	Ice Cube Jeff Kwatinetz
Inaugural season	2017
CEO	Amy Trask
Commissioner	Roger Mason Jr.
No. of teams	8
Country	United States
Headquarters	New York City
Venue(s)	10 Venues
TV partner(s)	FS1, Fox
Official website	www.big3.com

BIG3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league, featuring former NBA players. The league was created by rapper and actor Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz.

History

On January 11, 2017, Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz announced their new 3-on-3 basketball league at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel, in New York City.^[1]

Notable people

The following are notable former NBA players who have played or coached in at least one BIG3 game. Notability is determined by receiving an NBA accolade such as being named to an All Star team, an All-NBA Team (including defense and rookie) or winning an award (6th man of the year for example).

Players

• Rashard Lewis
• Kenyon Martin
• Jermaine O'Neal
• Allen Iverson^[2]
• Mike Bibby
• Jason Williams
• Kwame Brown
• Chauncey Billups
• Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf^[3]
• Larry Hughes
• Kendall Gill^[4]

Coaches

• Allen Iverson (Player and coach)
• Gary Payton
• George Gervin
• Julius Erving
• Rick Mahorn
• Rick Barry
• Clyde Drexler
• Charles Oakley

Structure

There are a total of eight teams, all traveling teams. Each team's roster will include five players and one coach per team, with allowances to swap players within the wider squad during the time off to allow for injuries or tactical changes. There will be an eight-week regular season resulting in an eight game regular season, as all games are on Sunday with a week off between contests. Games will be weekly quadruple-headers, with each team playing one of the other teams, held in a different locale each week.^[5] There will be two playoff games on week nine and a championship game on week ten.

Rules

• Games are played on a half-court.
• Standard two- and three-point shots apply; the three-point line is the same distance as in the NBA.
• There are also three "four-point zones" on a circle 30 feet away from the basket. One is on the midline of the court; the other two are 40 degrees away from the midline. To score four points, a player's foot must be touching some part of the circle.
• Instead of a jump ball to start the game, the "home" team inbounds first. The home team is determined by a do-or-die 4-point shootout.
• The shot clock runs 14 seconds.
• Additional free throw taken if a player is fouled while making a shot
• A shooting foul will receive one shot for the number of attempt point attempt (2, 3, 4 points, so if you are foul behind the three-point line, that free throw is worth 3 points.) AND-1 shots applies on every made basket after shooting fouls.
• All fouls are ascribed to the team; players cannot foul out. After the fifth team foul in each half, opponents are guaranteed two one-point free throws and possession of the ball.
• A team's first technical foul results in one two-point free throw and possession. Additional technical fouls, as well as all flagrant fouls, result in two two-point free throws and possession.
• To win, a team must score 50 or more points and lead by at least two points.
• Halftime happens after one team reaches 25 points.
• Each team receives two timeouts—a 60-second and a 30-second—per half. Unused timeouts do not carry over.
• Substitutions can be made on a dead ball or by calling a timeout.
• After a score, a referee must touch the ball. After giving the defense :03 seconds to set, the opposing team must take the ball beyond the top out of bounds line. Player has :05 seconds to return ball inbounds
• Defensive rebounds must be cleared if the ball touched the rim. If the ball did not touch the rim, defensive rebounds do not need to be cleared.
• Steals do not have to be cleared.
• The ball is cleared when the player with the ball establishes both feet behind the 3-point line. The ball can be cleared by dribbling or passing
• The defensive rebounder that makes a direct pass that clears the ball, must clear the lane and re-establish himself before his team's shot or pass hits the rim
• If a shot or pass hits the rim without being cleared it will result in a turnover
• Once a team has cleared the ball and establishes itself on offense, the normal "3 seconds in the key" rule applies
• There is no defensive "3-second" rule
• Instant replay applies and can be used to determine 3 and 4-point shots, out-of-bounds, flagrant fouls, goaltending, basket interference and clearance.
• All defensive strategies allowed, including hand-checking, which is banned in NBA.

Teams

Draft

The draft lottery was held on April 28, 2017 with Trilogy having the first pick followed by a player combine the next day. The actual draft took place on April 30, 2017 with 24 draft selections out of 70 draft entrants.^[13][14]

Draft selections

Source^[15]

Season Recaps

2017 BIG3 season

The 2017 BIG3 season kicked off on June 25, 2017 with 4 games at the Barclays Center.

Allen Iverson controversy

When the BIG3 came to Philadelphia, they highly publicized the return of Philadelphia 76ers great, Allen Iverson. Before the game, Iverson even said "I’m not going to go out there and be the 25-year-old Allen Iverson—you’re going to see a 42-year-old man out there," he said. "But to be able to do that, for my fans, I thought that would be cool, just to get back out there again…for my fans to get that flashback." However, hours before the game, it was announced Iverson would not be playing. Iverson claimed that he did not play due to "advice from my doctor." Iverson's decision was frowned upon by many in the Philadelphia community.

On Sunday, July 30th The BIG3 was scheduled to have games being played in Dallas, Texas. Iverson was slated to appear for his team, 3's Company, but failed to show up to the event or notify league officials about his decision. The next day, TMZ Sports posted pictures showing Iverson at a Chicago Area casino, the morning of the scheduled game.

Notes

• Top 4 teams advance to playoff
• C BIG3 champions
• Z clinched best record
• Y clinched playoff spot
• W clinched worst record

Broadcasting

Fox Sports 1 will carry the 8 weeks of the regular season and the playoffs on tape delay, while Fox will show the championship game live. Gus Johnson will be on play-by-play, Jim Jackson on color commentary and Michael Rapaport as sideline reporter.^[17]

References

External links

• Official Website