What happened there? Take me through that.

Well, you know, we we saw how the USA, you know, fared out in the Olympics and everybody.

You know, if you even, you know, four eyes, no eyes, you could see and know that we had better players that can represent the United States.

And we think they in the big three, you know, these guys have been playing this style of basketball for, you know, seven, eight years.

And it's like, we feel like we got the best players in the world and it's not even close.

And so, Um, after, you know, after the U S got kicked out, we was like, yo, we want to challenge the winner.

We didn't even know who the winner was going to be.

ain't going to chase

Like, do you still ever get nerves or no?

Not nerves.

You know, it's you worry about things not going right.

Like, you know, you in the stadium.

So it's an echo.

Yeah.

Earpiece in your ear of the real track.

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

time?Well, you know, of course, with the Westside Connection, what was great, you know, we, we had just had a, a, a riot in LA.

Uh, there was a gang truce in '92 where, you know, Bloods and Crips, um, decided to not fight and, and, and do those things.

So, um, putting together the Westside Connection, um, you know, we had, you know, one guy, Mack 10, he, he was from a Blood neighborhood, and then we had Dub C, uh, from a Crip neighborhood, which we grew up in the same neighborhood.

So it was cool to be able to show the unity in music.

Um, but at the same time, there was a East Coast/West Coast beef going on, so it kinda got, uh, you know, it, it, it really didn't, um, blossom like we want it to because of the friction that was going on in hip hop anyway.

Uh, so that's what I really, really remember about the time, is, you know, trying to bring the red and the blue together through, through the success of the Westside Connection.

No way, no how.

Yeah.

It's called the three, not the little three.

So, um, 22 and up.

We've had some guys, you know, um, Drew League MVPs like, uh, Frank Nitty come in.

We've had, you know, guys who are, you know, viral sensations like Nasir Khor, one-on-one guys who, uh, you know, made their mark in the one-on-one game.

I think he's, like, 36 and 0, you know, one-on-one, uh, against some, uh, some, uh, some big names or, or pretty good names.

So, and he can play our game.

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

time?Well, you know, of course, with the Westside Connection, what was great, you know, we, we had just had a, a, a riot in LA.

Uh, there was a gang truce in ninety-two where, you know, Bloods and Crips, um, decided to not fight and, and, and do those things.

So, um, putting together the Westside Connection, um, you know, we had, you know, one guy, Mack 10, he, he was from a Blood neighborhood, and then we had Dub C, uh, from a Crip neighborhood, which we grew up in the same neighborhood.

So it was cool to be able to show the unity in music.

Um, but at the same time, there was a East Coast/West Coast beef going on, so it kinda got, uh, you know, it, it, it really didn't, um, blossom like we wanted to because of the friction that was going on in hip-hop anyway.

Uh, so that's what I really, really remember about the time, is, you know, trying to bring the Red and the Blue together through, through the success of the Westside Connection.

No way, no how.

Yeah.

It's called the Big3, not the Little3.

So, um, 22 and up.

We've had some guys, you know, um, Drew League MVPs like, uh, Frank Nitty come in.

We've had, you know, guys who are, you know, viral sensations like Nasir Core, one-on-one guys who, um, you know, made their mark in the one-on-one game.

I think he's like 36 and O, you know, one-on-one, uh, against some, uh, some, uh, some big names or, or pretty good names.

So, and he can play our game.

Looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

Yeah.

And I, [laughs] and so I, I felt like there's a lo- millions of people out there just like me, and, and why not professionalize something that's part of basketball anyway? Uh, three-on-three has always been the s- step-cousin of five-on-five, and, uh, we wanted to give it some shine, polish it up, put some real pros out there that can play this game.

And it's its own sport.

You know, like you got boxing, you got UFC, you got, uh, you know, rugby, you got football, cricket, and baseball.

You got five-on-five and you got three-on-three.

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

Well, you know, of course with the Westside Connection, what was great, you know, we, we had just had a, a, a riot in LA.

Uh, there was a gang truce in '92 where, you know, Bloods and Crips, um, decided to not fight and, and, and do those things.

Yeah.

And, [laughs] and so I felt like there's a lo- millions of people out there just like me, and, and why not professionalize something that's part of basketball anyway? Uh, three-on-three has always been the s- step cousin of five-on-five, and, uh, we wanted to give it some shine, polish it up, put some real pros out there that can play this game.

And it's its own sport, you know? Like, you got boxing, you got UFC, you got, uh, you know, rugby, you got football, cricket, and baseball.

You got five-on-five and you got three-on-three.

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

Well, you know, of course, with the Westside Connection, what was great, you know, we, we had just had a, a, a riot in LA.

Uh, there was a gang truce in '92 where, you know, Bloods and Crips, um, decided to not fight and, and, and, and do those things.

So, um, putting together the Westside Connection, um, you know, we had, you know, one guy, Mack 10, he, he was from a Blood neighborhood, and then we had Dub C, uh, from a Crip neighborhood, which we grew up in the same neighborhood.

Yeah.

And I, [laughs] and so I felt like there's a lo- millions of people out there just like me, and, and why not professionalize something that's part of basketball anyway? Uh, three-on-three has always been the s- step-cousin of five-on-five, and, uh, we wanted to give it some shine, polish it up, put some real pros out there that can play this game.

And it's its own sport.

You know, like you got boxing, you got UFC, you got, uh, you know, rugby, you got football, cricket, and baseball.

You got five-on-five and you got three-on-three.

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

Well, you know, of course with the Westside Connection what was great, you know, we, we had just had a, a, a riot in LA.

Uh, there was a gang truce in '92 where, you know, Bloods and Crips, um, decided to not fight and, and, and do those things.

Yeah.

And, [laughs] uh, and so I, I felt like there's a li- millions of people out there just like me.

And, and why not professionalize something that's part of basketball anyway? Uh, three on three has always been the s- step cousin of five on five, and, uh, we wanted to give it some shine, polish it up, put some real pros out there that can play this game.

And it's its own sport, you know? Like, you got boxing, you got UFC, you got, uh, you know, rugby, you got football, cricket, and baseball.

You got five on five, and you got three on three.

So looking back almost 30 years later, what stands out to you about that time?

Well, you know, of course with the Westside Connection, what was great, you know, we, we had just had a, a, a riot in LA.

Uh, there was a gang truce in '92 where, you know, Bloods and Crips, um, decided to not fight and, and, and, and do those things.

I don't wanna, like, speak for you, but why is that so important for your Big3, and why are people like Gary Payton such a big deal for you and your league?

Um, I mean, we learn so much from them.

Not only are they our heroes, but, you know, they give the league so much credibility.

You know, when a guy like Gary Payton is around for nine, 10 years, a guy like Dr. J, uh, Clyde Drexler, our commissioner, uh, here for, for so long, uh, it, it just gives us credibility that we're headed in the right direction and we're doing something right to keep these legends, uh, around focused and, and wanting to win in the Big3, you know? Um, so, you know, what's great about Gary Payton winning this award, and all our awards, it's, uh, voted on by the players and coaches.

You know, the league has no say in that.

You know, it's, uh, it's, you know, really a honor of his peers letting him know that, how they feel about him, and that's, that's how it should be, and that's how it is in the Big3.

[laughs]

[laughs] You know, the...

when you're that age.

It is.

And, um, then they came to me when I went to the sixth grade, they was like, "Do you wanna do a speech for the class? Like, do you wanna talk to your graduating class?" And I'm like, "Yeah, I do." [laughs] And, and I wrote my little speech and, and delivered it, and it got a, you know, a nice, uh, a reception.

So I'm like, oh, damn, I can write it and I can speak it, you know? It's not just stuck on the page.

And, um, and that, I think, sparked something and, you know, when hip hop started to grow, uh, the typing thing came in the ninth grade when I 14.

I was late to all my counselors and shit, you know? They, you're supposed to get your electives.

They tell you go to the counselor, get your electives.

That, that could be summarized in a very simple way.

But for people who may not have seen or witnessed this greatness with their own eyes, man, can you just kind of just lay it out for them what to expect?

The intersection of basketball, music, and culture.

You get two games for the price of one, which you can't beat that with a stick.

Okay.

A lot looser than the NBA, so if you want to run and get an autograph from Dr. J, ain't nobody going to tackle you or throw you out the building or nothing like that.

So, you know, come have fun and be yourself.

What was your thoughts on it? Where's your head at with all of this?

It's comedy.

Called up

the homies and I'm asking y'all, which part are y'all playing basketball? Get me on the court and I'm troubled.

Last week, messed around and got a triplet.

somebody broke it down so that was the day so how could i deny you know how could i deny it was the day all of that happened

Wynn found a box score for the Lakers and the Supersonics.

I had the Bushy, had the Chronic.

The Lakers beat the Supersonics.

Yeah.

When it came to putting Friday together, because I'm a huge Bernie Mac fan, and so I'd love to know if you have any great memories of Bernie Mac on set, because along with the whole cast that made that such a classic, some of his lines still ring in people's head.

Yeah, you know what's cool? I got a chance to work with him a few times.

On Friday, it was quick.

You know, he worked one day.

And it was a full day, so we didn't really get a chance to chop it up.

And then I worked with him on another movie called The Players Club that I directed.

And then that's when I got a chance to really, you know, kick it and understand Bernie Mac.

If you're fun, if you're like, if he's making a movie set more fun and more productive in that way, he'll get called again, right?

When it came to putting Friday together, because I'm a huge Bernie Mac fan, and so I'd love to know if you have any great memories of Bernie Mac on set, because along with the whole cast that made that such a classic, some of his lines still ring in people's head.

Yeah, you know what's cool? I got a chance to work with him a few times.

On Friday, it was quick.

You know, he worked one day.

And it was a full day, so we didn't really get a chance to chop it up.

And then I worked with him on another movie called The Players Club that I directed.

And then that's when I got a chance to really, you know, kick it and understand Bernie Mac.

If you're fun, if you're like, if he's making a movie set more fun and more productive in that way, he'll get called again, right?

So what's the pitch to Dr. J? Get him involved.

You know, doing something that's great when it comes to basketball.

He's one of the first Pioneers, Maverick-type players, you know, with the ABA and what he did there, coming to the NBA with his style.

And I'm not surprised that he took a chance with the big three.

This is just in his DNA to, you know, not just – Sit on your success, but try to create new lanes and new avenues for the game of basketball on the pro level.

And it's a good idea, man.

You know, that's why we're around nine years.

When it came to putting Friday together, because I'm a huge Bernie Mac fan, and so I'd love to know if you have any great memories of Bernie Mac on set, because along with the whole cast that made that such a classic, some of his lines still ring in people's head.

How is it for you having players of that caliber giving the fans a show

every week? I mean, he's what this league was built for, players like him.

People think that our long-term goal is to hang our hats on newly retired or released NBA players, but that's not where this league lives.

This league lives with athletes who can play the big three style, at the highest level.

And you never know where that athlete is going to come from.

And he might not come from the NBA, even though we got people like Montrezl Harrell, who actually is the player of the week with 34 points.

But it shows you that if you work hard on your game, you may be able to display it on the highest level regardless if you go to the NBA or not.

Talk about the challenge for the players that don't know.

What was that, what was that like to get that call, like, "Yo, we're creating the Ice Cube Impact Award for the Naismith Hall of Fame"? Uh, what was it like? How, how did that match up to the awards that you've won in film and in music? Uh, h- how was this feeling in comparison to those?

Um, just as big or bigger.

Because, you know, those are in my field.

Music awards, um, the movie awards, the star on the Walk of Fame, name in front of the Chinese Theatre and all that stuff, uh, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, you know, that's in my field.

Uh, but this is something that, that I created out of my love of basketball.

You know, I didn't create it to, to, you know, create a business and make a whole lotta, of money, e- even though i- it's, you know, in the position to do that.

But I just wanted more basketball.

Do you feel like that ultimately changed, or do you feel like it's kinda stayed the same and got worse? How do you feel on this journey, uh, the support of the NBA has ultimately helped or hurt, uh, thus far?

[laughs]

We, we, we wanna elevate it to the pro level, you know, what the Big3 is doing.

So, uh, we've been in talk with the, um, East Asian Super League, um, about, you know, having a Big3 Asia.

We've been talking to the, to the NBL in Australia about a Big3 Australia.

Uh, you know, South America and, and, uh, UAE and all that good stuff.

So, you know, we have the vision, for sure.

Right

So you can do it over and over and over and over all day, you know, till you get it from all these different angles, was a bit of getting used to.

cube i was born in 1994 i've seen straight out of compton but i didn't grow up with nwa my introduction to ice cube was are we there yet what's it like having multiple generations know you for completely different parts of your career

it's pretty cool um You know, the trajectory I started on, hardcore, solo career, then going into movies, you know, doing Boys in the Hood and Trespass, and kind of flipping it a little bit with Friday, Barbershop, and now, you know, Are We There Yet? What happened was the reason I did a movie like, Are We There Yet? You know, this hardcore rapper doing this movie, kids movie.

I realized that my fans had little kids.

And those little kids were watching Friday.

You know, they come up quoting Friday, you know.

You got knocked out, you know what I mean? So I'm like, dude, your little ass shouldn't be watching Friday.

You need an ice cube movie that's your speed.

Were you nervous the first time you tried acting? Because it's hard, right? I mean, it's difficult.

Why, why go public now instead of trying to raise more money just to staying private?

Because if you, you know, continue on the same route, we're gonna have a league just full of billionaires, like league, you know, team owners and it, it's gonna be the same group of guys getting in on the action, which is fine.

I don't mind.

But we wanna make sure the little guys can get in on it, too.

You know, not just the guys with the super deep pockets, but guys who, um, you know, sports fans wanna grow with the league, you know, understand this league can be around for a long time.

A- as we grow, they grow.

And, uh, giving them a shot at it, um, was appealing to me, you know, as a guy who's a, been a sports fan forever.

But in your view, like what makes three on three so popular?

So why this deal to go public now? Why'd it happen now?

Um, it's great timing.

You know, we have a, a sport that's, um, emerging, that we've been, uh, growing for the last, uh, 10 years.

And, um, you know, we were able to, uh, you know, see the vision for the league as, uh, a city-based model.

We were going from, you know, a centrally owned model to a city-based model, and we have eight teams in eight cities.

And, uh, we wanna grow.

We wanna grow the right way.

When, when did you- ... see that you had something special?

Talk to us about how you got to the place where you are now.

A lot of hard work.

Um, you know, it's, uh, I started off in music and, um, you know, we kinda made our own place in music.

Uh, and, and in movies, same way.

Um, I never went to any kinda Juilliard or anything like that.

But, you know, we had visions and we ended up doing and, and kinda stepping into music and movies without being asked, you know.

We, we didn't ask for permission.

So w- how, uh, I guess, what fueled that? Was it about, like, local identity?

Uh, explain to us the significance that that number and that next step has in the growth of this league.

Well, we feel like the number's actually low.

You know, we feel like this league is worth more than that.

And, but that's great for investors.

You know, they can get in, um, and, and make a profit and, and that's, you know, what it's all about when it comes to investing.

Uh, it's just the next evolution, uh, for this league.

We, uh, you know, we started off, uh, everything was centrally owned by the league.

Which one would you say you're actually best at, and which one would you say you're worst at of that c- of that list? 'Cause you get an A+ in all of these.