Back in 2017, when Ice Cube-led Big3 – a 3-on-3 basketball league – was launched, it was not just an idea but a revolution in making that allowed retired NBA players to continue professionally. But has the Big 3 ever received support from the NBA itself? Although the NBA has never opposed the Big3, the OG basketball league has never promoted the Ice Cube-led venture either. “We have been supportive of the Big3 since its inception, but we declined to invest,” Mike Bass, a spokesperson for the NBA, had clarified in 2023. WNBA, on the other hand, has been doing the exact opposite by supporting Unrivaled, a similar venture to the Big3 in women’s basketball.

Currently, the WNBA’s popularity is at an all-time high, and it was the perfect opportunity for Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier to launch their groundbreaking 3X3 women’s basketball league, Unrivaled. However, promoting the initiative somehow led to Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony making major accusations about Adam Silver’s NBA!

He said, “Unrivaled, they have a lot of the top players in the WNBA. And the WNBA should support it. That’s the key… that’s the difference with NBA and Big3. WNBA supports Unrivaled. NBA ain’t really supporting the Big3!” Yes, during his plea to the WNBA for pushing Unrivaled, Melo clearly stated that the NBA has made no effort to promote the Big3 league. That’s the multi-million-dollar 3X3 men’s basketball league started by rapper Ice Cube, where older and retired NBA players continue to hoop.

Although it has been eight years since the league’s inception, Silver has never pushed Ice Cube’s initiative to the forefront. And now, Big3 has turned into a legitimate competitor for the NBA, with its teams selling at over $10 million because of the rising popularity. The league’s co-founder Jeff Kwatinetz revealed his bold ambition, “We want the owner group to be an asset to our league, because ten years from now, we plan on being bigger than the NBA.”

Well, Melo does not want the WNBA to make the same mistake the NBA made, and back Unrivaled instead of making them competitors. After all, it’s being run by the same players that are employed by them. And together, they have the potential to make both leagues global.

Carmelo Anthony shows WNBA and Unrivaled Olympics dream

Although Americans are not very familiar with it, the half-court game is a highly popular format across the world. Anthony even confirmed it on his 7PM in Brooklyn podcast, “The 3-on-3 game, the sport is growing rapidly overseas, internationally. That’s like top of conversation.” Moreover, he reminded everyone, “It’s an Olympic sport.”

Of course, no one knows the Olympics better than Melo, who is a three-time gold medalist. And he highlighted the rising popularity of the three-on-three game that can benefit both WNBA and Unrivaled, “Outside of men’s basketball and some of the major events at Olympics, 3 on 3 was the, that was the club. Like that was like a beach party out there. So, if you have that environment, you bring in music, you bring in drinks, you bring in sponsors, you bring in the vibe, you bring in the players…” Yes, these factors can help Unrivaled gain mass popularity and take women’s basketball to the next level.

Moreover, they have the best female athletes in the world competing at a high level. All the players will be extra motivated because apart from the salary, Unrivaled has also given them equity. That means the league’s success is their success. So, the WNBA should jump on the bandwagon and work in unison with its players rather than making it like the relationship between the NBA and Big3. Do you agree?