The construction shift in the BIG3 format will owe to Los Angeles this summer the three-on-three basketball racing founded by Ice Cube.
For the first time, these teams will represent each city as the league transitions to a location-based model in its eighth season. The team will represent Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Miami, Washington, DC and – Yes! – Los Angeles
The team in Los Angeles will be called La Riot. The coach will be former Lakers and Clippers guard Nick Young – also known as Swaggy P – with the South’s roots as deep as ice. Young starred in USC and Reseda Cleveland High before embarking on a 12-year NBA career involving a lot of shooting, a few assists, and constant vivid quotes and craziest laughs.
Often young yes riot.
“I’m very excited,” Young told The Times. “Currently, we are the third best team in Los Angeles and are quickly second. We have to win some championships. It will be fun. Come out to support us this summer. Los Angeles Riot – Great name. Big3 is on the rise.”
However, Ice Cube recognizes that not everyone will name the team a joke. His album The Predator was released in November 1992, and four police officers were acquitted by Simi Valley jury six months ago, despite defeating Rodney King, four police officers in the Sammy Valley jury declared hip-hop six months ago.
In an email to The Times, Ice Cube said he supported the team name proposed by the new owner.
“They chose the name La Riot because it represents the resilience, passion and indestructible spirit of Los Angeles,” Ice Cube said. “The city is built on energy, culture and motivation to challenge the status quo, just like Big3.
“The name embodies the destructive nature of the league, the competitiveness of the team, and the close connection with people in the wealthy, eclectic and enthusiastic community of Los Angeles, who will say for themselves; here the riots cheer up, cheer up, bring new excitement to the game and provide the city with a bold identity.”
Ice Cube is a member of the groundbreaking Compton rap band NWA along with Dre, DJ Yella, MC Ren and founder Eazy-E. He evolved from a hip-hop musician to a mainstream film and television actor, director and producer, and lived in Los Angeles with his wife Kimberly Woodruff, 33.
He has been the league director since 2017, following the creation of Big3, a short season of weekly games involving every team at a given location. For example, the riots will host three to four games a day and compete for the rest of the two months.
The coach is a well-known figure in the league, Young joins a fraternity that includes Naismith Hall of Fame members, Boston Ball Hogs, Michael Cooper, Miami 305, George Gervin, George Gervin (Detroit Amplifier), Calvin Murphy (Houston Rig Hands) and Nancy Lieberman (Nancy Lieberman) – Only female head coaches, Stephen Jackson coaches the DMV trilogy, while the Chicago triplets have not hired a coach yet. The Big3 Commissioner is the Hall of Fame Clyde Drexler.
The roster will be filled out at the Big3 draft in May. Many Big3 veterans have been in the NBA for 10 years or more, making them a little younger than the 50-year-old and PGA Tour champions. The roster is full of ballerinas, their best days behind them, but can shine in half form.
That’s what Ice Cube, 55, had envisioned from day one, but he’s not above the scope of using marketing to increase visibility. Prior to last year’s WNBA draft, he offered Caitlin Clark $10 million in games to score BIG3 in two seasons – a salary structure where most players have $10,000 per game in seven seasons.
BIG3 introduces rules and concepts to make the game fan-friendly. The winner is the first team to spend 50 points. The three-point line is the same distance from the NBA, but the longer shot is four points. Every half of the “bringing fire” rule can challenge fouls, with two players one player determining its effectiveness.
Ice Cube hopes Los Angeles’ fan base can enjoy basketball and wonders thoroughly.
“Los Angeles has one of the world’s richest grassroots basketball history, from legendary leagues like Drew to the city’s dynasty,” he said. “The Los Angeles team plans to capitalize on this legacy and create a full-day celebration that feels like a real neighborhood gathering. Whether it’s working with a local nonprofit that focuses on community vendors, artists and performers, or a building show that reflects the court’s real Los Angeles, from the court to the hall, it’s intended that La Riot be a team of people to make people a recognized city that can be a city.”
Ice Cube created Big3 with his long-time collaborator, media and talent manager Jeff Kwatinetz. After seven years of team connection with the city, BIG3 moved to a location-based model to build fan loyalty and sell the franchise to local owners.
With a price tag of $10 million, four franchises have been purchased so far, including Shawn Horwitz’s La Riot, co-founder and CEO of Palm Drive Associates, a private equity firm focused on real estate and sports ownership.
“As a lifelong basketball fan and entrepreneur, I saw an incredible opportunity to bring the excitement of Big3 to Los Angeles – one of the greatest basketball cities in the world,” Hovez said in a statement. “This franchise is not only about gaming; it’s about community, culture, and provides fans with a new way to experience the sports they love.”
The season is scheduled to start on June 14 and will last for two months, followed by two weeks of playoffs. Ice Cube is already looking forward.
“The basketball energy in these cities is unparalleled and we’ve seen firsthand the power of their fan base,” Ice Cube said. “The transition to the whole city model this season is another sign of the league’s continued exponential growth, and fans can expect a talent pool to grow and have a more competitive game style than ever before.”
The next step is to head to international.
“We’ve already performed in London, Toronto and the Bahamas last season and are still following cities like London and Toronto for other franchises,” Ice Cube said. “We have also entered into partnerships with the NBL in Australia and will bring our game there in November.
“The best scenario for us is to continue to develop our play style and have many Big3 leagues that operate year-round throughout the world.”
