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Allen Iverson Becomes Latest Hall Of Famer To Join Ice Cube's BIG3 Pro Basketball League

Big3, a new three-on-three basketball league for "professional players over the age of 30," is expected to start play June 24, with former NBAers Chauncey Billups, Rashard Lewis and Kenyon Martin among those "already committed to the league," according to Doug Feinberg of the AP. Allen Iverson has "signed on as a player/coach," while Gary Payton and George Gervin also will "serve as two of the coaches."Actor Ice Cube, who along with longtime business partner Jeff Kwatinetz founded the league, said getting Iverson to sign on was "big." Iverson said, "When I got the call it was a no-brainer. It's Ice Cube. You don't turn that down." Feinberg noted the Big3 will "play its eight-game season on Saturdays in the summer," and each week's contests will "take place in a different city, with all eight teams playing." The inaugural season will "culminate in a two-week playoffs," and players will "share revenues with teams earning more money based on how they finish in the standings." Teams will be "comprised of five players and games will be played to 60 points." The league will also have a 4-point shot that is a "little deeper than the NBA 3-point line." To be "eligible to play in the league you have to have played professionally -- in the NBA, D-League or overseas." Kwatinetz said that the league is "looking into potential sponsorships and television deals, and the cities haven't been set" (AP, 1/11). Ice Cube said, "We're going to have a traveling league. We're going to try to put on these events in these cities all over the country and try to make it feel like a Final Four or All-Star Game. All four games are played in the same arena. So you get a chance to see all your favorite players" ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 1/12).

A LITTLE NOSTALGIA: Ice Cube said he had been thinking about developing the league for some time, but "seeing Kobe [Bryant] retire just made me want to kick it into high gear." He said, "I started writing notes down, putting concepts and thoughts down. ... It’s a great business opportunity, but as a fan, I’m just excited to see the guys that I know can play at a competitive level, and I’m happy that I have the right type of partners to be able to set the stage for that." Kwatinetz said that the league is "targeting cities like Seattle, no longer served by the NBA, as well as places like New York that could be expected to have an appetite for basketball in the summer months" (USA TODAY, 1/12). ESPN’s David Jacoby said, “These are legitimate businessmen that have a legitimate business plan to bring us a three-on-three league. ... This is competitive. This isn’t MTV’s ‘Rock N’ Jock’” (“Jalen & Jacoby,” ESPN Radio, 1/12).

PLENTY OF INTEREST: Ice Cube said he got calls from a "flood of ex-NBA players that're interested in joining our draft pool" after yesterday's announcement. He said, "We're going to even have a combine where we can see and make sure that guys still got it. We want guys with game, not just the name” ("Mike & Mike," ESPN Radio, 1/12). Martin said the league is "innovative," and to "start from the ground up and be a part of it (is special)." Martin: "Not a lot of guys can say they're the first to do something." Lewis said, "It’s a great concept and it's half-court too. So, it won't be a lot of wear-and-tear and there's time for recovery" (BILLBOARD.com, 1/11). 

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