This past weekend, Ice Cube's new BIG3 basketball league got started and appears to be a hit so far. Now, there are NBA rumors suggesting that one future NBA Hall of Famer wants to recruit two other basketball superstars to play in the new 3-on-3 league. Can Paul Pierce convince his former Boston Celtics teammate Kevin Garnett and former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant to join him in Ice Cube's new summer league? Here's the latest in terms of the BIG3 league and a possible super team in the future.
What's the deal?
This past Sunday, the BIG3 invaded Brooklyn's Barclays Center in New York for their first weekend of games in the debut season.
Among the former NBA players who competed in the new league were Jermaine O'Neal, Deshawn Stevenson, Jason Williams, Mike Bibby, and Allen Iverson. Plenty of other stars were in the building to take in the action including hip-hop star and actor LL Cool J, and recently-retired NBA star Paul Pierce from the Los Angeles Clippers.
"I might try to convince @KGArea21, @kobebryant." - @paulpierce34 to @MichaelRapaport
— FS1 (@FS1) June 27, 2017
The Truth in the @thebig3 next year? pic.twitter.com/aNfG9zwel0
Actor Michael Rappaport has been a big part of the BIG3 promotions with Fox Sports so far. Rappaport was also on hand for the opening day of games in Brooklyn at Barclays. He did a courtside interview with Paul Pierce to ask his thoughts on the new league.
Pierce seems to think the 3-on-3 format summer basketball league could be the "next big thing." If he's right, that could mean more teams and more seasons.
BIG3 Super team?
During his courtside interview, Paul Pierce also brought up the idea of joining this league now that he's done with the NBA. He mentioned that he might ask two other future Hall Of Famers to join him: Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant, and former Boston Celtics champion Kevin Garnett.
Many players in the new BIG3 league are near to or in their early 40s. Kevin Garnett is currently 41, while Paul Pierce is 39 and Kobe Bryant is 38-years-old. The main concern with the new league is potential injuries that could happen after being away from the NBA. That was seen as several players went down on the court in the first weekend.
Luckily there were no serious injuries so far. Allen Iverson, a player/captain, wisely only played a few minutes for his team.
The Answer is back.#BIG3 pic.twitter.com/duDvnjMC9D
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) June 26, 2017
If Pierce was being serious, it could mean the formation of a future superteam in the new league. Garnett and Bryant are not only former NBA Champions, but also former NBA MVPs. They would join another former NBA MVP, Allen Iverson, as members of the exciting new league.
It's still unknown if this new league will make it beyond just this first season. However, if it does, "Big Three" teams in the BIG3 basketball league won't be that hard to form since teams only consist of three players total.