Lawyer Claims Ice Cube’s BIG3 Owes Him $25K, Files Lawsuit for Unpaid Legal Fees

Ice Cube’s BIG3 basketball league, known for its innovative three-on-three half-court play, is entangled in another legal dispute. The league, co-founded by rapper-actor Ice Cube (O’Shea Jackson) and business partner Jeffrey Kwatinetz, faces a lawsuit from its former attorney, Lawrence C. Hinkle II, for breach of contract and unpaid legal fees.

According to legal documents obtained by The Blast, Hinkle alleges that the league has repeatedly failed to compensate him for his legal services. He has filed a quantum meruit complaint, seeking reasonable payment for his efforts. While the exact date of the filing was not disclosed, it appears to be recent.

Quantum meruit, as defined by Bloomberg Law, is an equitable claim where a plaintiff seeks payment for services that benefited the defendant, preventing the defendant from unjustly retaining such benefit. These claims typically arise when the plaintiff performs work with the expectation of compensation, even if no valid contract exists.

Hinkle asserts that Ice Cube hired him in May 2022 during the draft for BIG3’s 2022 season, at a rate of $700 per hour, with an advance payment of $10,000 received in June 2022. He claims that the remaining balance of $21,690 for his July services was promised by August 5 but was never paid. From September 2022 to May 2024, Hinkle repeatedly contacted BIG3 representatives about the overdue payments, but to no avail.

Hinkle claims that BIG3 representatives cited “financial difficulties” as the reason for non-payment and that Ice Cube, after initially promising to look into the issue, later ignored his emails. The documents also reveаl that Kwatinetz accused Hinkle of malpractice while working for the league, using this as a justification for nonpayment. Hinkle contends that he was never made aware of any concerns about his work.

Hinkle has requested a jury trial and is seeking $25,000 in damages.

This lawsuit is not the first legal issue for BIG3. In 2018, the league was sued by former chief creative officer Kainoa Henry. Henry alleged that Kwatinetz, a known associate of Steve Bannon, created a hоstile work environment with political discourse and anti-Muslim remarks, forcing Henry to resign. Henry’s involvement with BIG3 began in 2017 when Cube’s production company hired him to direct and produce a documentary about Iverson’s return to basketball. Henry claims that Kwatinetz’s behavior and remarks made the work environment unbearable, leading to his resignation.

Additionally, Ice Cube and Kwatinetz have been involved in a legal bаttle with Ayman Sabi, a Palestinian-American, and Ahmed Al-Rumaihi, a Qatari, accusing them of failing to deliver promised investments and spreading false statements about the league. Sabi and Al-Rumaihi, in turn, allege that Kwatinetz failed to implement basic corporate governance after their investment of $11.5 million and additional $9 million in sponsorship funds.

Henry’s lawsuit against BIG3 highlights the internal conflicts and political tensions that have plagued the league. He alleges that Kwatinetz and Ice Cube breached contract, interfered with his business dealings, and retaliated against him. These allegations add to the ongoing narrative of legal and managerial turmoil within the league.