Ice Cube hasn’t been shy about how he feels the media disrespects his BIG3 basketball league. The famed rapper, actor, and entrepreneur previously claimed that others don’t vibe with the 3-on-3 men’s hoops league. He’s specifically named NBA commissioner Adam Silver as somebody who doesn’t really “get” what they’re trying to do.
On Tuesday, Cube again opened the forum for more disrespect to be shared. The BIG3 founder hopped on The Pat McAfee Show to discuss the league. As the discussion between McAfee and Cube continued, the latter made an interesting claim.
PMS co-host A.J. Hawk asked Cube about how NBA players “aren’t really allowed” to talk about the basketball league. Cube responded right away.
“I think they were just told not to mention the BIG3 on the air,” Cube said. “We saw it; we can see how much the NBA really controls who talks about them and who doesn’t and what’s said and what’s not said about the league or other leagues. So, I was told by somebody I trust–who actually played in the BIG3, who was an announcer that he couldn’t speak on it on air.”
"I was told by somebody I trust who's an announcer that he wasn't allowed to speak about the Big3 on air..
It's not really shocking but there's a lot of bullshit in the air" ~ @icecube #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/Td0BMKKn6D
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) July 11, 2023
Hearing this intrigued McAfee, who said he felt “more basketball was better for all basketball.” Cube mentioned that particular note was said during his meeting before the league was founded. Then McAfee asked him, “How come there’s so much bull—- in everything?”
“People will lie and do things that are diabolical to protect their interests. To protect their money. To protect their status,” Cube said. “It’s a lot of bull—- in the air. A lot of it has to do with money and controlling the money, and we all have to have big shovels to even breathe.”
Cube and McAfee are not necessarily wrong that more of something will be good for something. But in the same sense that you won’t hear the NFL directly reference the USFL or XFL, you won’t hear the NBA talk about the BIG3.
[The Pat McAfee Show]
About Chris Novak
Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022