Ice Cube's Big3 Basketball League Returns To Dallas This Weekend

Is it possible for something to seem too good to be true and a bad idea doomed to fail all at the same time? Probably not, but when Ice Cube launched his half-court 3-on-3 basketball league, Big3, it seemed to toe the line as close as something could.

Since debuting in 2017, the league has barnstormed around the country on a summer tour, marketed as a sort of cross between a sports nostalgia event (teams have featured recently retired NBA players like Allen Iverson, Jermaine O’Neal and Stephen Jackson), live concert (Ice Cube himself performed at various stops during the initial season) and a traveling circus.

Season one of Big3 took place over 10 weeks in the summer of 2017, including a Dallas stop at American Airlines Center halfway through the campaign — a then-13-year-old author of this piece spent all the money he had saved up to watch Nate Robinson in the flesh.

In the years that followed, Big3 maintained a penchant for pushing the envelope, with the idea that no gimmick was too far-fetched if it meant keeping the game fresh. The swings included one-on-one matchups to determine foul calls, holding open-call tryouts to join the league, and offering Caitlin Clark a private $5 million contract, which she declined.

For it’s eighth season in 2025, Big3 reinvented itself yet again, selling the rights to individual teams to investors in cities around the country, allowing for region-specific teams and team names. Did you know Dallas has a Big3 team? You do now. They’re called the Dallas Power and feature former NBA all-star Paul Millsap, along with his brother, John Millsap. NBA veteran Greg Monroe is the team’s captain, while Glen Rice Jr. and Plano native TJ Cline fill out the rest of the roster. Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman is the team’s coach, leading them to a 6-2 record this season, tied for best in the league.

This Sunday, August 17, the Big3 summer tour hits Dallas for an all-day festival, including the playoff semi-finals and a special celebrity game. The latter kicks things off at 2 p.m., with Team Ice Cube going up against Team Clyde Drexler. Cube’s team features Dallas icon Dez Bryant, rappers Symba and Toosii, NBA reporter Chris Haynes and the co-hosts of the Million Dollaz Worth of Game podcast, Gillie Da Kid and Wallo 267.

Team Clyde Drexler boasts former NFL star Chad OchoCinco, plus influencer MD Motivator, Love Islander and former professional basketball player Jose “Pepe” Garcia, basketball YouTuber Hezi God, comedian and Kill Tony regular Kam Patterson and Waka Flocka.

After the celebrity game, our hometown Power take on the Miami 305, led by on-court teammates but off-court enemies Lance Stephenson and Michael Beasley. The winner will play the winner of the Chicago Triplets vs the LA Riot at the Big3 Championship on August 24 in Orlando, Florida.

Tickets to the event are available online, and honestly, are a great deal for a well-produced sporting event.