Ice Cube Always Has Place For NBA Legends In Big3 League

The 12-team league has expanded since debuting in 2017. It consists of ex-NBA and pro international players such as Michael Beasley, Mario Chalmers and Lance Stephenson. The Big3 steps back a generation with the presence of Julius "Dr. J" Erving, Clyde Drexler and Nancy Lieberman among the coaches.

"That's the beautiful thing about the league," Ice Cube said. "You get to see people like Dr. J, Nancy Lieberaman back in the heat of battle, back wanting to win a game. They can't play but they can coach their teams. They can show their passion. They can definitely scream at the refs."

No one exemplifies this more than Hall of Famer Gary Payton, who won an NBA title with the Miami Heat but is known mostly for his trash-talking days with the Seattle Supersonics. The mouthy Payton is perfect for the league.

"Gary has won a few games just with his mouth, distracting the other team," Ice Cube said. "He'll do whatever it takes to win."

This season, the league partnered with Red Lobster to introduce the "Bring The Fire" rule that adds a new dimension to personal fouls.

"It's a play where the coach, if it's a foul called, he can either let the foul stand or he can have the players go 1-on-1," Ice Cube said. "It's like a penalty shot in hockey or soccer. It's very pivotal and the coach can use this once every half. It's a pretty exciting play."

While Ice Cube is excited about gimmicks, he wants the league viewed seriously. This way, it can continue to grow with fans and media.

"We're already trying to introduce a professional sport," Ice Cube said. "The hardest thing to do is to take a sport seriously whenever you're trying to go professional . We think we have more work to do on making sure the sport is respected at the highest level."