Julius ‘Dr. J' Erving will coach Chicago Triplets, the BIG3's 3-on-3 team where trash-talking is encouraged
The Doctor is in.
NBA Hall of Famer Julius 'Dr. J' Erving will be the head coach of the Chicago Triplets in the BIG3, the 3-on-3 basketball league co-founded by rapper/actor Ice Cube. Erving previously coached Tri-State and earned Coach of the Year honors in 2021. In 2018, the league's championship trophy was named after Erving.
The Triplets are one of eight teams in the league, which is entering its eighth season. Games tip off on June 14 at Allstate Arena.
'I was doing it as a favor for a good friend, Clyde Drexler, and a guy who I had admiration for, Ice Cube, when they started the league,' Erving, 75, told the Tribune about joining BIG3. 'I had a window of time during the summer where we were taking vacations during that time, and the BIG3 suddenly became 10 vacations.'
The Chicago Triplets roster includes former NBA players Jason Richardson, Montrezl Harrell and Kemba Walker. Richardson, a Michigan State alum and the No. 5 pick in the 2001 draft, was a two-time Slam Dunk champion. while Harrell a Sixth Man of the Year after being a second-round pick in 2015. Walker, the No. 9 pick in 2011, was a four-time All-Star during his time in the NBA. They added Amir Johnson and Chris Allen in the league's draft on Thursday.
'I think we're going to be potential winners of most of our games,' Erving said. 'We have guys who have high basketball IQs and who have had great careers nationally, as well as in the NBA. I think once we get organized and get some defensive schemes in there, we will be fine.'
One of the BIG3's selling points is its encouragement of trash-talking. Erving — who was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993 — said he had his own way of dealing with opponents during his lengthy career.
'I just tuned guys out if they talked trash, I was not a trash talker,' Erving said. I always felt (to) let your game do the talking, and that would be enough trash if your game was really speaking for you, and that's the way I learned to play. I don't remember anyone really trash-talking me, and I dare someone to find any footage of someone really trash-talking me.'
The league began in 2017 with 8 teams before expanding to 12 teams that traveled to various locations for games. Those teams were never based in any city or region — but that's all changed this season with the Chicago Triplets, Boston Ball Hogs, Dallas Power, Detroit Amplifiers, DMV Trilogy, Houston Rig Hands, Miami 305, and the LA Riot.
And Ice Cube has an even larger vision for the 3-on-3 league.
'Our dream is to have a BIG3 Australian league,' Ice Cube told Basketball Network. 'And, you know, to repeat that in a lot of territories throughout the world and then create what's essentially like a World Cup–type situation with three-on-three basketball. So, that's the long game.'
Erving echoed Ice Cube's vision. He believes the league — and 3-on-3 basketball in general — is beneficial to the state of basketball.
'I think (BIG3) is well respected, because ever before the BIG3 started, 3-on-3 basketball was played in different parts of the world,' Erving said. 'There was room for (BIG3) to enter when it did, it's been sustained and it's only going to get better.'
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