Ice Cube and BIG3 Co-founder Allege Caitlin Clark’s Recruitment was Sabotaged by the ‘NBA Establishment’
Ice Cube and his co-founder of BIG3, Jeff Kwatinetz, claim that their attempt to recruit Caitlin Clark to their league was obstructed by what they perceive as collusion between her agents and the NBA.
Last month, Ice Cube extended an offer of $5 million to the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer to play in their three-on-three basketball league, which would have made her the first woman to do so. However, Clark was ultimately drafted by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft, reportedly signing a four-year contract worth approximately $338,000 annually.
In an open letter authored by Kwatinetz and shared on Ice Cube’s website, the duo accused Clark’s agents of being beholden to the “NBA mob.”
“We susρect that these male agents and executives, who hold sway over the sport, failed to present our groundbreaking offer to Caitlin or arrange for her to meet with the BIG3 to discuss the opportunity,” the letter states.
“From our viewpoint, these agents don’t appear to represent an individual client like Caitlin. Instead, they seem to operate on behalf of the NBA mob, as their clientele consists mainly of NBA players.
“Do we anticipate them prioritizing Caitlin’s interests over those of the NBA—the primary employer of their most lucrative clients? The NBA exerts its influence through intimidation, ensuring that its network of agents, attorneys, managers, and networks toe the line. And that line is to impede the success of BIG3, even at the expense of wоmen’s basketball development. Given the ongoing negotiations for critical NBA media contracts, it’s conceivable that the NBA’s pressure on its feeder system outweighs the interests of Caitlin and other promising female players.”
The public statement further outlines the substantial financial benefits Clark could have garnered by joining BIG3, far surpassing her current WNBA contract: “A salary of $10 million over two years, ownership stake in the team worth milliоns, fifty percent of merchandise sales from her nаme and likeness, and ownership of a BIG3 documentary with a seven-figure advance. In total, we’re talking about $15 million or more just to compete in a ten-game season, while still retaining the ability to play in the WNBA.”
In response, Clark appeared to downplay the BIG3 offer soon after it became viral online.
“To be honest, I learned about the Big3 offer at the same time as everyone else, and my primary focus is on playing basketball,” she stated.
“I don’t really discuss these matters with anyone. I have representatives who handle them, and they haven’t mentioned anything to me about it. My main focus is on my team and helping us win against Colorado and, hopefully, securing another victory after that.”