Back on March 12, the BIG3 League announced the firing of commissioner Roger Mason Jr. Those within the organization reportedly believed that he was taking part in corruption and the league wanted no part of it. Founder and Co-founder Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz readily moved on from Mason, but he wasn't so willing to do the same.
Mason states that he's being framed for such accusations and that Cube and Kwatinetz are the one's in the wrong.
He's not done there as he's also seeking a whopping $100 million for defamation and breach of contract -- via The Washington Post. There was obvious tension in this organization amongst these three but how did we get to this point?
Mason vs. the BIG3
Mason was chosen as the commissioner for the BIG3 League last year, which had a fairly successful inaugural season. It not only sold out arenas everywhere it went, but also had a huge following from the fans watching at home.
A product of this magnitude does not just get formulated overnight so Mason introduced Cube and Kwatinetz to Sport Trinity, an investment group that included three Qatari investors.
This fell through quick as the two founders are suing those investors for upwards of $1.2 billion for not paying up.
Along with Mason's filed complaint, he continues to reiterate that Kwatinetz was never a pleasure to work alongside. Mason has been adamant that both he and others have heard Kwatinetz time after time make racist remarks about both the players and Qartari investors.
According to Bleacher Report, when it came to the players, Kwatinetz's remarks revolved around him thinking that they were "rich n******'," while also referring to the investors as "terrorists." This clearly wasn't the most productive environment and it is easy to see why both sides tended to disagree.
The battle continues
Neither side in this legal situation is going to give as both feel they were taken advantage of by the other. Mason was under the impression that he had the full backing of the league's founders, while they believed that the investors Mason introduced them to were trustworthy and would pay for their end of the deal.
Mason's complaint mentions "Almost from the outset of the League’s operations, Kwatinetz engaged in a malicious, defamatory campaign of disparagement." (according to The Washington Post).
Kwatinetz, on the other hand, has said that when he decided to open the investigation and examine employees' "conduct and relationship," Mason supposedly declined to be interviewed. Mason denied this allegation, saying he sent a letter to the league describing Kwatinetz's conduct -- which he believes is what led to his firing.