Ice Cube Expands BIG3 League With New Teams in Houston and Miami

Ice Cube is making major progress, as the BIG3 boss has now announced plans to expand the basketball league to Houston and Miami.

The organization is currently transitioning from hosting away games to setting up bases across the country. At this point, the teams are now for sale and open for investment.

“We need to plant our roots in the cities so we can be more than just an All-Star Game in the making,” the former NWA player said after the first team was sold for $10 million to Los Angeles earlier this year. “It’s really about growing the sport and the league.”

On Wednesday (July 3), Bloomberg Tycoons Eric Mullins and Milton Carroll have acquired a third unit that will be based in Houston. Last month, businessman Heath Freeman bought the rights to a franchise in Miami for the same amount mentioned above, which he is expected to take over for the 2025 season.

“I am honored to join Ice Cube and (co-founder) Jeff Kwatinetz at the BIG3 and bring a new professional basketball team to Miami,” he said at the time.

“BIG3 is shaping the future of basketball; the gameplay is dynamic and nuanced and the on-court product is captivating audiences in this growing region. Basketball fans in South Florida can rest assured that this franchise will soon help enrich the winning sports pedigree of our greater region.”

Prior to the mentioned deals, Cube and Kwatinetz offered to sign Caitlin Clark to the league.

In March, the “No Vasoline” MC offered the rising star $5 million to join his school. However, she was selected by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA Draft shortly after on a four-year deal reportedly worth around $338,000.

In an open letter written by Kwatinetz and shared on the California native’s website, the two men accused the prodigy’s agents of working for the “NBA mafia.”

“We have reason to believe that these male agents and executives who control the sport never even shared our pioneering offer with Caitlin, much less facilitated Caitlin’s meeting with the BIG3 to discuss the opportunity,” it reads. “From our perspective, these representatives do not appear to be working for an individual client like Caitlin. They appear to be working for the NBA Mafia, as their client list is a who’s who of NBA players.”

“Should we expect them to prioritize Caitlin over the NBA, the number one employer of their highest-paid clients? The NBA rules by fear, and it’s keeping its industry of agents, lawyers, managers and networks in line. And that line is to prevent the BIG3 from succeeding, even if it stunts the growth of women’s basketball. In the midst of the current negotiations over the NBA’s crucial new media deals, you can imagine that the pressure on the NBA’s distribution system easily outweighs the interests of Caitlin or other promising players.”

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The public statement went on to outline the money she could have made by signing with the BIG3, which would be much more than her current contract: “Ten million dollars in salary over two years, a percentage ownership of the team worth millions, fifty percent of the merchandising revenue from her name and likeness, and ownership of a BIG3 documentary with a seven-figure advance. In total, we’re talking fifteen million dollars or more to simply play a ten-game season. All while allowing her to play in the WNBA.”

For his part, Clark appeared to reject the offer shortly after it went viral online.

“To be honest, I found out about the BIG3 thing at the exact same time as you, and my main focus is just to play basketball,” she said.

“Honestly, I don’t talk to anybody about it. I have other people who are dealing with it and they haven’t talked to me about it. My main focus is on this team and helping us find a way to beat Colorado and hopefully win another one after that.”