The BIG3, a 3v3 basketball league founded by rap star Ice Cube, is set to begin its seventh season on June 15 at Oakland Arena. This year will see plenty of familiar faces and new names, all while playing in five new cities across its 10-week schedule.
Without further ado, let's take a look at some of the biggest storylines to watch this year before getting to some of the Week 1 matchups to watch this weekend.
Top Storylines
New places, new faces
This year, the BIG3 will welcome 18 new players, the most since the league's inception in 2017. Among them are three NBA veterans -- 2021 NBA champion Jeff Teague, veteran Greg Monroe, and four-time All-Star Paul Millsap.
The BIG3 will also be traveling to five new cities this summer. The first is for their season opener in Oakland, California, followed by Baltimore, Maryland (June 29), Newark, New Jersey (July 7), Anaheim, California (July 14) and Portland, Oregon (July 21).
Championship rematch
Opening week is headlined by a title game rematch between Enemies and Triplets. Enemies took home their first BIG3 championship in a 50-43 win last season, thanks in large part to a 23-point performance by Jordan Crawford and stellar defense by guard Elijah Stewart. The Triplets are looking to claim their first title since 2019 and it begins on Saturday.
The BIG3 GOAT is back
Three-time BIG3 MVP Joe Johnson is returning to dominate the league once again. "Iso Joe" averaged 19 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last season -- good for fourth in the league. He led the Triplets to a league-best 6-2 record in the regular season and a second-place finish. Johnson also holds the record for most points scored in a game (34) and in a single season (175 in 2019).
After today’s performance, Joe Johnson holds the record for most points (34) scored in a single-BIG3 game.
— BIG3 (@thebig3) July 17, 2021
Legend. pic.twitter.com/48nsM07ZRs
Prior to joining the BIG3, Johnson spent 18 years in the NBA and was the 10th pick by the Boston Celtics in 2001. He played for six other teams, including the Hawks, Nets, and Heat, and was a seven-time All-Star and an All-NBA Third Team nod in 2010. He famously made a comeback to the NBA after a three-year hiatus, signing a 10-day contract with the Celtics and crediting Ice Cube and the BIG3 for making it happen.
Week 1 Schedule
(All times Eastern)
Enemies vs. Triplets, 4 p.m. -- CBS
Aliens vs. 3 Headed Monsters, 5 p.m. -- CBS
Tri-State vs. Ball Hogs, 6 p.m. -- streaming on X
Bivouac vs. Trilogy, 7 p.m. -- Streaming on X
Ghost Ballers vs. Killer 3s, 8 p.m. -- Streaming on X
Power vs. 3's Company, 9 p.m. -- Streaming on X
Schedule breakdown
Enemies vs. Triplets
The day starts with the long-anticipated title game rematch, as Crawford and Johnson hope to lead their teams back to glory.
The Enemies' leading scorer, Crawford, was third in scoring with an average of 19.3 points per game last season. He finished with the most points in the BIG3 by the end of the playoffs. He was also second in the league in 3-point percentage (58.3%).
Among other returning Enemies is co-captain Isaiah Austin, the Baylor star who was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder known as Marfan Syndrome days before the 2014 Draft. He played a key role en route to their championship run, averaging 8.7 points, 6.6 rebounds and one assist per game.
Conversely, aside from Johnson, the Lisa Lesie-coached Triplets will also feature Jeremy and Jannero Pargo, brothers with plenty of basketball experience. Jeremy spent three years in the NBA between four franchises and also six years playing across Europe and Asia. Jannero played 11 seasons in the NBA across seven different franchises. Both have since found success in the BIG3, with Jeremy leading the league in 4-pointers made last season (6) and Jannero draining the second-most threes in the 2021 season (15) -- one behind Joe Johnson and Leandro Barbosa.
Aliens vs. 3 Headed Monsters
The Aliens and 3 Headed Monsters finished at the bottom of the BIG3 last season with 1-5 records. They hope to flip the script and find success with completely revamped rosters.
The Aliens return with captain Dusan Bulut, a BIG3 veteran who was previously ranked No. 1 in the individual 3x3 rankings by FIBA and helped Serbia win the FIBA World Championships in Greece and China. They are also adding the Millsap brothers -- Paul, John, and Abraham -- along with Al Jefferson, a 14-year NBA veteran who was named to the All-Rookie Second Team in 2005 and All-NBA Third Team in 2014.
The 3 Headed Monsters are back with Rashard Lewis -- this time as their coach -- along with the Teague brothers, Jeff and Marquis, and Greg Monroe. They bring in this year's no. 1 overall pick, Brandon Moss, and former Oregon forward Shakur Juiston, who last played in Greece.
Tri-State vs. Ball Hogs
Tri-State and the Ball Hogs are hoping to redeem themselves after missing the playoffs last season. Both teams will be bringing back key pieces this season.
Tri-State has several notable players who can help start their playoff push early. Jason Richardson, a 13-year NBA veteran, has led Tri-State since 2022, and was top-10 in scoring just three seasons ago. Then, there's Kevin Murphy, the 2022 BIG3 MVP who averaged 16.3 points in three games played last season. Finally, Amir Johnson will return for his fourth season in the BIG3 after putting up nearly 13 points, seven rebounds and five assists per game last year.
The Ball Hogs have four returners, all with NBA experience. Leandro Barbosa, a 2015 NBA champion, is entering his fourth season in the BIG3 after playing 14 years in the Association across five franchises. Alongside him is 11-year veteran Jodie Meeks, who won the 2023 BIG3 All-Star Game MVP and is currently an assistant coach for the G League's Birmingham Squadron.
Four-year veteran DaJuan Summers is back for his second season with the Ball Hogs. He averaged eight points, 7.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists last year. Finally, big man Larry Sanders joins the Ball Hogs after past stints with the Triplets and Tri State. The 6-foot-11 defensive force tied for second in total blocks (9) in his BIG3 rookie season in 2019 and averaged 1.8 blocks across four years in the NBA -- the benefits of having a 7-foot-7 wingspan.
Bivouac vs. Trilogy
Bivouac is steadily improving after an 0-6 season in 2021. They return with a core that brought them to a 2-5 finish last year. Coached by Hall-of-Famer Gary Payton and captained by 12-year NBA veteran Gerald Green, Bivouac includes Gerald's brother, Garlon, a 2016 Bundesliga All-Star, 13-year veteran forward Corey Brewer, and 2014 NBA Champion Austin Daye.
Three-time champion Trilogy is coming off of a red-hot 6-2 season in which Ryan Carter led both his team and the league with 21.8 points per game. This time around, Trilogy will not return with Carter, but they still have captain Earl Clark, three-time BIG3 champ James White, and co-captain guard Isaiah Briscoe. They will be joined by two newcomers -- former UMass big man Cady Lalanne and 2011 NCAA champion Roscoe Smith.
Ghost Ballers vs. Killer 3s
The Ghost Ballers and Killer 3s both finished last season in the middle of the pack with 5-3 records.
The Ghost Ballers are coached by "The Iceman," George Gervin, and captained by seven-time overseas champion Mike Taylor, the first NBA player who was drafted out of the then-D League. Joining him are co-captains Chris Johnson, who led the BIG3 in blocks in 2021, and Jonathon Simmons, who returns for his third season in the league after past stops in the NBA and China.
The Killer 3's are led by fourth-year captain and human highlight-reel Franklin "Frank Nitty" Session, in addition to co-captains Donte Greene and two-time NBA champion Josh Powell. Rookie William Felder Jr. joins the Ghost Ballers after playing in France's highly-competitive LNB Pro A. They are under the direction of former Knicks star Charles Oakley.
Power vs. 3's Company
Two years removed from an appearance in the BIG3 championship, Power remains hungry after a 4-4 finish last season. Led by Nancy Lieberman, the team has thrived under captain Glen Rice Jr., who was named the BIG3 Rookie of the Year in 2021 after making his mark in the Israel League. Power includes co-captains TJ Cline -- who, during Power's title run, averaged 10.4 points while shooting 40% from 3 off the bench -- and Royce White -- who was the first overall pick in the 2019 BIG3 Draft.
3's Company, coached by Hall-of-Fame inductee Michael Cooper and led by two-time NBA champion Mario Chalmers, includes two skilled co-captains: walking bucket Michael Beasley and rebounding machine Reggie Evans. Joining them are rookies Nasir Core and Sean Williams, two high-level defenders who could give Power and the rest of the league problems on the court
