Former NBA players Allen Iverson, Chauncey Billups, Rashard Lewis, Stephen Jackson and Kenyon Martin are among those who have committed to play in a 3-on-3 league for retired NBA players that was founded by rapper Ice Cube.
The league, which will be called BIG3, was introduced at a press conference in New York on Wednesday with Iverson, Martin, Ice Cube, Lewis and former National Basketball Players Association deputy director Roger Mason Jr., who will be the league’s commissioner, in attendance.
Iverson will be a player-coach with former NBA stars Gary Payton and George Gervin also signed on to be coaches in the league. The 11-time NBA All-Star and 2001 MVP said he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to help start the league.
“When I got the call it was a no-brainer, it’s Ice … you don’t turn that down,” Iverson said at the news conference Wednesday, via ESPN.com. “That’s success looking you right into your eyes. I just wanted to be a part of it and I hope that me being a part of it makes it a success like everything he’s been doing in his life.”
Iverson also offered an idea of who he’d like on his team.
The league will begin play on June 24 and play through Aug. 12 with games being played in a different city every Saturday. The games will be half-court and feature 4-point shots in designated circles several feet behind the 3-point line. The games will be played to 60 points with halftime occurring when a team reaches 30 points.
Ex-professional players over the age of 30 will be eligible to play. There will be a draft held in March with teams consisting of four players and a player/captain.
Other notable players who will participate include Mike Bibby, Jermaine O’Neal, Jason Williams and Bonzi Wells. The players will receive 52 percent of the league revenue.
Thumbnail photo via Mark L. Baer/USA TODAY Sports Images
