BIG3 basketball league creator Ice Cube hopes Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant will be willing to give his league a shot.
Well-known Los Angeles-based rapper Ice Cube formed the league earlier this year. BIG3, which is currently experiencing its inaugural season, draws attention as it is featured by former NBA players such as Allen Iverson and Rashard Lewis, among others. BIG3 is played three-on-three and has eight teams, each of which includes five players plus a coach.
The league is having an eight-week regular season, with the games played on Sunday, with a week off between the contests.
Once the regular part concludes, two playoffs games will be held in Week 9 and the championships game in Week 10, respectively.
Bryant inactive since 2016 April
2010 NBA Finals MVP Bryant hasn't taken part in any basketball game since he called it quits after the 2015/2016 NBA season.
The 38-year-old went out in style, scoring 60 points on 22-of-50 shooting from the field against the Utah Jazz in his career-last game. It was a perfect 20-year-career-ending performance for the Lakers legend, who ignited a comeback at the Staples Center as the Lakers beat the Jazz 101-96 after trailing in the fourth quarter.
Though retired, Bryant has remained busy as he has focused on running his own business. Bryant, the CEO of Kobe Inc., hasn't yet taken any position in the Lakers front office.
'It'd be a dream come true'
Ice Cube didn't back down while describing how happy he would be to have Bryant join BIG3 as he said that would be a ''Dream Come True." Also, the founder of the league believes it would be a "shame" that we have seen the last of the former Lakers player in 2016 April against the Jazz.
"You know, that's a dream come true," Ice Cube confessed on ESPN LA's Mason and Ireland when asked will we ever Bryant out there.
"He inspired the league in a lot of ways. You know, seeing him score 60 points in his last game. And I'm like 'we can't see this dude play basketball nowhere in the world, no more?'"
'It is up to Bryant'
Though the desire to have Bryant in BIG3 is a heavily strong one, Ice Cube insists that they won't force anything as it is up to the Lakers great to say that he is ready to give it a try.
''You know, It's a dream but he has to get the inch. Nobody's gonna convince Kobe to do it," Ice Cube added. "He has to just, you know, wanna do it from the competitive...'I wanna play with my peers, you know and I wanna, you know, bust ass like I used to in the league, you know what I mean. That's really what it comes down to. It would be a dream come true to get that phone call."
