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Los Angeles Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Ice Cube and Dwight Howard tout Big3's potential during festive Intuit Dome visit
The BIG3 basketball atmosphere is one of a West Coast summer-style block party — quite literally — bursting with frenetic hip-hop energy brought straight to the hardwood. At the center is legendary rapper and Hollywood A-lister Ice Cube, who, between games, stands before a BIG3-branded backdrop in the bowels of the Intuit Dome, greeting families and flashing Westside hand signs as cameras click. 'It takes a village; all these people have honed their skills to be the best,' Ice Cube, the league's co-owner and founder, said of the atmosphere. Rooted in the streetball tradition of three-on-three hoops played on neighborhood blacktops, the league rolled out its Summer in the City tour — a day-long showcase with eight teams vying for a $1 million championship. Not shy on production value, few sporting events offer such an intimate setting — players mingling casually around the concourse, almost like an AAU tournament. Or comedic stars Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer serving as guest sideline reporters, greeting every fan who stops by with a quick hello. But for the South-Central–born rapper, whose league has toured the country, Saturday's showcase in Inglewood marked the first time his hometown crowd could watch one of the BIG3's newest — and first privately owned — franchises, the LA Riot, play live. A franchise namesake born from L.A.'s history of tumultuous racial unrest — evoking memories of the 1992 Rodney King riots — also symbolizes a movement, rebellion and cultural takeover, just as Ice Cube envisioned. 'It was a dream come true, not too far from where I grew up,' Ice Cube said. 'So to have a league like this, right at the house, is just beautiful.' After seven years of unaffiliated teams, the BIG3 shifted to a city-based model to cultivate loyal fan bases and sell franchises to local owners. Using L.A. as the blueprint — with a $10 million price tag — the hope is to bring long-term stability to the league. 'We're going to these eight cities every year,' Ice Cube said. 'We can plan long term, hopefully grow the league to other cities, [who] want to get in on the act.' Since 2017, part of that stability has been built on the backs of veteran players — athletes well past their NBA primes and no longer chasing NBA contracts. Among them is newly elected Naismith Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, alongside names like Joe Johnson, Michael Beasley, and Lance Stephenson. Howard, a member of the 2020 Lakers championship team, made a highly anticipated return to the city where he played three seasons across three separate stints. With his signing, he has become the face of the Riot, committing to play his final season of professional basketball with the club. 'It's our first year, we're just getting started,' Howard said. 'We're looking forward to keeping it going. Obviously, the first year is always a little difficult — trying to get to know each other — but we're doing a great job.' Howard has dabbled in ownership ventures, investing $7 million to purchase the WNBA Atlanta Dream — a deal that later turned out to be a scam — and joining The Asian Tournament, an international league, as a co-owner and player for the Taiwan Mustangs. In his first Big3 season, Howard has witnessed how well the league connects with its fans, a connection he believes will be key to its long-term success. Christopher Thomas, 35, a lifelong Angeleno who brought his daughter and best friend to Saturday's Big3 games, was rocking a No. 12 Howard Riot jersey. Thomas left the arena converted after initially scoring free tickets through his job. 'I have to admit, I never heard of the BIG3,' Thomas said. 'Now I'm leaving as a Riot fan, especially with my boy Dwight Howard on the team.' For Thomas, the draw went beyond basketball. It was the atmosphere, constant energy between games and novelty the league offered. The experience was 'something new, something different,' he said — the kind that will have him back in the stands when the BIG3 returns to town. Making headway in localized markets, Howard — who has played overseas several times throughout his career — says the league can also tap into those international markets with smart decisions and profitability. 'Oh, international,' Howard said. 'BIG3 international is what we're looking for.' On the globalization front, the league is planning exhibitions in Australia and Asia, which Ice Cube hopes will come to fruition soon. For now, though, the focus remains on expanding and privatizing within the U.S., beyond L.A., Houston, Detroit and Miami. The BIG3 also aims to grow beyond its current eight-team format by securing investors for four city-based teams, and then aims for further expansion down the line. 'We got some smart people who are buying teams, people who can help us grow the league,' Ice Cube said. 'Not just sign a check, but to help us be innovative. Help us with sponsors. We want owners who are active.' While expansion plans continue to be discussed behind closed doors, the league's public focus remains on its fast, physical and unpredictable style — all of which was on full display as the action at the Intuit Dome wound down. The Riot's matchup against the Boston Ball Hogs came down to the wire with a playoff berth on the line. Clawing back from a 48-45 deficit, the Riot unleashed desperate four-point shots and dove for loose balls galore. Eventually taking the lead, the Riot-friendly crowd spilled from its seats into the walkways surrounding the court, watching with bated breath as Jordan Crawford drained a walk-off three-pointer to seal a 52-48 victory. 'At the end of the day, I can only do so much to get people hyped up,' Ice Cube said of the appeal of the Big3. 'The basketball has to be pure.'
NBC Sports
07-08-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Carmelo Anthony chooses Allen Iverson, Dwyane Wade as Hall of Fame presenters
Before Carmelo Anthony steps into the NBC Studios this fall to be an analyst for the games on NBC and Peacock, he is going to step into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2025. Allen Iverson and Dwyane Wade are going to walk in with him — they were announced as his presenters for the Hall of Fame. Filled with gratitude. My journey was different, but finding the balance through all the ups and downs made this moment possible. And if you stay true to who you are then the journey is always worth it. Thank you @Hoophall for recognizing 32 years. 🙏🏾#STAYME7O Each year, those about to be enshrined in the Hall of Fame are asked to pick previously inducted members to be their presenters. This year, for the ceremony on Sept. 6 in Springfield, Massachusetts, Anthony selected Iverson, one of his teammates from Denver, as well as one of his best friends in the league in Wade. NBA Top 75 All-Time Player, Class of 2025 Naismith Hall of Famer, 3-Time Olympic Gold Medalist, and now NBC Sports Analyst. Welcome to the team, Carmelo Anthony! Here are the presenters for the other members of the Class of 2026. Dwight Howard: Patrick Ewing, Robert Parish, Dennis Rodman, and Dominique Wilkins. Sue Bird: Geno Auriemma and Swin Cash. Maya Moore: Seimone Augustus, Geno Auriemma, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings and Lindsay Whalen. Micky Arison (Heat owner): Alonzo Mourning, Pat Riley and Dwyane Wade. Billy Donovan: Maurice Cheeks and Rick Pitino. Danny Crawford (referee): Tim Hardaway and Isiah Thomas. Sylvia Fowles: Katie Smith and Lindsay Whalen. 2008 USA Men's National Team: Jim Boeheim, Chris Bosh, Jerry Colangelo, Jason Kidd, Mike Krzyzewski and Dwyane Wade.
USA Today
19-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
What time is WNBA All-Star Game today? Time, TV channel for 2025 WNBA All-Star Game
The WNBA's top stars are set to square off against each other in the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game. At 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 18 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Team Clark and Team Collier will go head-to-head against each other in the league's annual All-Star Game. The WNBA All-Star Game lost some of its buzz on July 17 when the Indiana Fever announced that All-Star captain Caitlin Clark would not participate in the All-Star Game or the 3-point competition after injuring her right groin in the Fever's win over the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday. REQUIRED READING: WNBA All-Star Game full rosters: Injury replacements named for Team Clark Though Clark won't suit up this weekend in Indianapolis, the All-Star Game is still flooded with talent ranging from No. 1 overall pick Paige Bueckers, New York Liberty stars Sabrina Ionescu and Breanna Stewart and Las Vegas Aces star A'ja Wilson, among others. Here's what to know about what time the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game is, including TV channel information and more: What time is the WNBA All-Star Game? The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game between Team Clark and Team Collier is set to begin at 8:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, July 19 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. What TV channel is WNBA All-Star Game on today? The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game will be broadcast nationally on ABC, with Ryan Ruocco (play-by-play), former WNBA legend and Naismith Hall of Famer Rebecca Lobo (analyst) and Holly Rowe (sideline reporter) on the call. A streaming option for the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game is Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to new subscribers. Watch the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game live with Fubo (free trial) Where is 2025 WNBA All-Star Game? The 2025 WNBA All-Star Game is being held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the home of the Indiana Fever. 2025 WNBA All-Star Game rosters Here's an updated look at the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game rosters, according to USA TODAY: (Starters in bold)
09-05-2025
- Sport
Angel Reese is ready to start winning in the WNBA after injuries and record-setting season
CHICAGO -- Angel Reese's rookie year surpassed nearly all expectations. The Chicago Sky All-Star set records before her season got cut short by an injury and helped the league soar to new heights in popularity after she and the Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark took their rivalry from the college ranks to the pros. One thing Reese didn't do was win. Not the way she is accustomed to winning. That's something she wants to change, starting with a marquee opener at Indiana on May 17. 'I wasn't used to that," Reese said. "It just takes an adjustment. It's something that you don't want to get used to because you don't want to get in a mindset, like, 'Oh, we're just going to be losing every night.' We were right there every night.' The Sky finished 10th in the WNBA with a 13-27 record last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018. The disappointing results were despite getting significant contributions from Reese and fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso. The two young stars are back, and the team made major roster changes to give them some help. Chicago fired former coach Teresa Weatherspoon after one year and hired Las Vegas assistant Tyler Marsh to replace the Naismith Hall of Famer. The Sky also brought in veteran leadership, including franchise career assist leader Courtney Vandersloot and acquiring two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins from Washington. Chicago hopes the additions will help Reese and Cardoso take their games to another level. 'She wants to compete, she wants to win, she's somebody that puts that above everything else," general manager Jeff Pagliocca said of Reese. "With all the time that she puts into building her brand and flying all over the world, she still has proven to us time and time again she puts basketball first. "Only a competitive player is going to have all these things in her life that are so special but still want to be the greatest player she can be.' Reese and Clark helped change the landscape of the WNBA, drawing sellout crowds and record ratings while spurring debates about the sport and society. The rivals from LSU and Iowa showcased a style and swagger that captivated the nation when they were going at it in college. Reese, who finished second to Clark in the Rookie of the Year voting, averaged 13.6 points and a league-record 13.1 rebounds. She set a WNBA record with double-doubles in 15 straight games and finished with 26 on the season — the most ever by a rookie. Reese briefly held the mark for total rebounds with 446, only to miss the final six games with a wrist injury. While she was out, league MVP A'ja Wilson finished with 451. But while the records piled up, so did the losses. In two seasons at Maryland and two more at LSU, Reese's teams lost a total of 20 games and never dropped more than two in a row. She won an NCAA championship with the Tigers in 2023, beating Clark and Iowa in the final. The Sky, meanwhile, lost 12 of their final 14 games last season. They dropped seven in a row before beating the Los Angeles Sparks on Sept. 6, only to have Reese suffer a hairline fracture in her left wrist that required surgery. With their star sidelined, they won their next game and lost the final five. 'Obviously, that left a bad taste in my mouth,' she said. Reese had a busy offseason, playing in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league and trying to increase her range and develop into the sort of stretch power forward the Sky envision her becoming. She shot 39% last season and made just 3 of 16 3-pointers. 'We want her to be dynamic,' Marsh said. 'We want her to be able to score inside. We want to be able to create space for her to have more one-on-one finishes inside and to not have to have to feel like she's got to play in a crowd. We want to put the ball in her hands on the perimeter and allow her to facilitate and create off the dribble as well.' Reese said the issue was more her hesitancy to take the shots than her ability to hit shots from the perimeter. 'I always just tell myself if I work out and make the shots I might as well take them in the game,' she said. Reese got a taste of the championship atmosphere when she sat courtside during the WNBA finals between New York and Minnesota. She showed up for Game 5 wearing what looked like a custom outfit split down the middle with a Liberty jersey on her left side and Lynx jersey on the right. Reese also excelled in Unrivaled. Her team Rose BC won the championship, though she missed the playoffs after hurting her surgically repaired wrist. She likes the makeup of the Sky and believes Chicago will be difficult to beat. 'I think we have the right pieces this year,' Reese said. 'We have the great veteran leadership. We have coaches that just built a culture from the beginning and built the standards, so I'm excited.'
NBC Sports
09-05-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Angel Reese is ready to start winning in the WNBA after injuries and record-setting season
CHICAGO — Angel Reese's rookie year surpassed nearly all expectations. The Chicago Sky All-Star set records before her season got cut short by an injury and helped the league soar to new heights in popularity after she and the Indiana Fever's Caitlin Clark took their rivalry from the college ranks to the pros. One thing Reese didn't do was win. Not the way she is accustomed to winning. That's something she wants to change, starting with a marquee opener at Indiana on May 17. 'I wasn't used to that,' Reese said. 'It just takes an adjustment. It's something that you don't want to get used to because you don't want to get in a mindset, like, 'Oh, we're just going to be losing every night.' We were right there every night.' The Sky finished 10th in the WNBA with a 13-27 record last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018. The disappointing results were despite getting significant contributions from Reese and fellow rookie Kamilla Cardoso. The two young stars are back, and the team made major roster changes to give them some help. Chicago fired former coach Teresa Weatherspoon after one year and hired Las Vegas assistant Tyler Marsh to replace the Naismith Hall of Famer. The Sky also brought in veteran leadership, including franchise career assist leader Courtney Vandersloot and acquiring two-time All-Star Ariel Atkins from Washington. Chicago hopes the additions will help Reese and Cardoso take their games to another level. 'She wants to compete, she wants to win, she's somebody that puts that above everything else,' general manager Jeff Pagliocca said of Reese. 'With all the time that she puts into building her brand and flying all over the world, she still has proven to us time and time again she puts basketball first. 'Only a competitive player is going to have all these things in her life that are so special but still want to be the greatest player she can be.' Reese and Clark helped change the landscape of the WNBA, drawing sellout crowds and record ratings while spurring debates about the sport and society. The rivals from LSU and Iowa showcased a style and swagger that captivated the nation when they were going at it in college. Reese, who finished second to Clark in the Rookie of the Year voting, averaged 13.6 points and a league-record 13.1 rebounds. She set a WNBA record with double-doubles in 15 straight games and finished with 26 on the season — the most ever by a rookie. Reese briefly held the mark for total rebounds with 446, only to miss the final six games with a wrist injury. While she was out, league MVP A'ja Wilson finished with 451. But while the records piled up, so did the losses. In two seasons at Maryland and two more at LSU, Reese's teams lost a total of 20 games and never dropped more than two in a row. She won an NCAA championship with the Tigers in 2023, beating Clark and Iowa in the final. The Sky, meanwhile, lost 12 of their final 14 games last season. They dropped seven in a row before beating the Los Angeles Sparks on Sept. 6, only to have Reese suffer a hairline fracture in her left wrist that required surgery. With their star sidelined, they won their next game and lost the final five. 'Obviously, that left a bad taste in my mouth,' she said. Reese had a busy offseason, playing in the Unrivaled 3-on-3 league and trying to increase her range and develop into the sort of stretch power forward the Sky envision her becoming. She shot 39% last season and made just 3 of 16 3-pointers. 'We want her to be dynamic,' Marsh said. 'We want her to be able to score inside. We want to be able to create space for her to have more one-on-one finishes inside and to not have to have to feel like she's got to play in a crowd. We want to put the ball in her hands on the perimeter and allow her to facilitate and create off the dribble as well.' Reese said the issue was more her hesitancy to take the shots than her ability to hit shots from the perimeter. 'I always just tell myself if I work out and make the shots I might as well take them in the game,' she said. Reese got a taste of the championship atmosphere when she sat courtside during the WNBA finals between New York and Minnesota. She showed up for Game 5 wearing what looked like a custom outfit split down the middle with a Liberty jersey on her left side and Lynx jersey on the right. Reese also excelled in Unrivaled. Her team Rose BC won the championship, though she missed the playoffs after hurting her surgically repaired wrist. She likes the makeup of the Sky and believes Chicago will be difficult to beat. 'I think we have the right pieces this year,' Reese said. 'We have the great veteran leadership. We have coaches that just built a culture from the beginning and built the standards, so I'm excited.'
