Ice Cube is looking to make sports history by recruiting female college basketball star Caitlin Clark to his BIG3 league.
The news was initially reported by TMZ on Wednesday (March 27), with the outlet revealing that Cube had offered the all-time NCAA leading scorer $5 million to play in his three-on-three basketball league, becoming the first woman to do so.
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The lucrative deal would see Clark, who currently plays for the Iowa Hawkeyes, participate in eight regular season games and potentially two playoff games if her team advances to the postseason.
Clark would also receive “substantial additional compensation” from merchandising and sponsorships while also still being allowed to play in the WNBA.
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The 22-year-old has already declared her eligibility for the 2024 WNBA Draft next month and is expected to join the Indiana Fever as the number one pick.
Shortly after the report emerged, Ice Cube confirmed the news on Instagram, describing the offer as an opportunity to “make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.”
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“We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship. But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark,” he began.
“Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3. The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men’s pro team, and she won the championship in her first year.
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“Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.”
He continued: “America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet. And they should have more than just one professional option in the US at a time when American pro sports leagues are being infiltrated by autocratic, anti-women regimes such as Qatar.
“Our pathbreaking offer to Caitlin Clark demonstrates that BIG3 now offers another choice for athletes.”
Launched in 2017, BIG3 quickly garnered attention for being the first and only Black-owned sports league.
It has only gone from strength to strength despite facing opposition from the NBA, who Ice Cube has accused of trying to sabotage his organization.
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However, the potentially groundbreaking offer to Caitlin Clark arrives amid scrutiny of Cube regarding his basketball league’s broadcasting deal with X (formerly Twitter).
Last week, the N.W.A legend announced that BIG3 will make its return on June 15.
When asked why games won’t be streaming on the platform Rumble Video, Cube replied: “Cause we’re on X…better ask somebody.”
His answer faced criticism from fans who questioned his decision to do business with controversial X owner Elon Musk.
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“I respect you’re responce [sic] but just look and see who Elon connects himself to and tell me I’m wrong. I still have respect for Cube, always will. However I’m not blind to his who he aligns with. I like the Big 3, Both things can be right at the same time,” wrote one person.
“Love and respect Cube but his alignment with a white supremest [sic] is all we need to know. I get it money matters so do you my guy. Just keep it 100 and don’t Trojan horse for them. White Supremacy is who you are and represent. Enjoy!!,” a second comment reads.
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The remark seemingly referenced Musk’s friendships with figures like disgraced former president Donald Trump, Joe Rogan and others assumed to be white supremacists.
Never one to cow to public pressure, Ice Cube clapped back: “Shut yo bitch ass up! I ain’t aligned with nothing, punk. I draw my own fuckin lines.”
