The Big3’s eighth season is finally rolling in, and it’s coming with serious heat. Ice Cube’s summer league tips off June 14 at Allstate Arena in Chicago. Names like Allen Iverson and Dwight Howard are already drawing buzz, especially since Howard just joined. And while the league starts in Chicago, the championship is booked for August 24 in Orlando at Addition Financial Arena on UCF’s campus. With Cube’s vision getting bigger each year, this season feels like a full-circle moment for a dream that began in 2017.
Cube isn’t slowing down either. He’s chasing more names, and not just for show. On Run It Back with FanDuel TV, he said, “You mean Lou? Lou Will?” and smiled. He wasn’t joking, though. He listed Derrick Rose, Jamal Crawford, and DeMarcus Cousins as future targets. Imagine Derrick Rose making a comeback on the Big3 stage! Well, that’s just a dream for now, considering that since his retirement, Rose has yet to show any initiative to make a return to the court.
Then came a twist no one saw coming. On the All The Smoke podcast, Stephen Jackson was chatting with Vernon Maxwell when things got interesting: “Max, you got to make some games.” Without missing a beat, Max shot back, “Oh man, you know I’m coming to f—- with you, Jack.” It didn’t feel like a joke. Jackson then floated the idea of Cube making Max his assistant coach. He claimed, “You coming? ‘Cause I’ll f—k around and get Cube to allow you to be my assistant coach.” Max didn’t hesitate: “Hey, there it is. Let’s do it then. Come on now, I’m doing it alright!” Mad Max appeared ready to jump in on the opportunity!
What followed was even more unexpected. Jackson doubled down, saying, “Imma vow to—If Cube and them can just let you be my coach and let you be my assistant coach, I even split my check with you where they don’t even have to pay you.” Max lit up, replying, “Cube, you hear what the f—k he said! Let’s make it happen, baby boy!” It wasn’t just banter anymore. Jackson called him “another legend we can have a part of the league.” And Max, clearly moved, said, “Appreciate you, my people. That’s love.”
Maybe this could be the start of something real. Now all eyes are on what the $160M rapper has to say about this. Will he give a go-ahead? Only time will tell.
Vernon Maxwell’s offer might fit right into Ice Cube’s BIG3 blueprint
Vernon Maxwell getting a shot in the Big3? It might actually line up with Ice Cube’s rulebook, if you read between the lines. While Cube has made it clear he doesn’t want everyone suiting up again, he’s left a window open for legends to return in different ways: “We definitely don’t want to tempt Rick Barry, Ice Man [George Gervin] to suit up. We’ll let the OGs coach the league and let the players play.” That comment might just be the clue Maxwell needs.
The Big3 is no longer a startup; it’s grown into a legit 12-team league. With players like Lance Stephenson and Mario Chalmers on the floor, it’s not a retirement home; it’s real competition. But coaching? That’s where legends like Julius Erving, Gary Payton, and Nancy Lieberman are shining. Cube says that’s the charm. “They can’t play but they can coach their teams. They can show their passion. They can definitely scream at the refs.”
So when Stephen Jackson offered Maxwell an assistant coaching role complete with a check-splitting promise, it wasn’t just talk. It actually aligns with how Cube sees value in the older generation. The 55-year-old said, “Gary has won a few games just with his mouth, distracting the other team,” Cube said. That same fiery presence is what Maxwell brings.
Cube’s also shown he’s willing to play around with format and rules to keep things exciting. “We think we have more work to do on making sure the sport is respected at the highest level,” he added. So, if Maxwell’s return boosts competition and buzz? Don’t be surprised if Cube answers that call.
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