Most ex-NBA stars fade quietly into retirement. Not Dwight Howard. He played in Taiwan for the Taoyuan Leopards, had a stint with the Mavericks in The Basketball Tournament, and even appeared on the books of Puerto Rico’s pro league, though he never suited up for them. Turns out that even Superman couldn’t resist the pull of Ice Cube’s league.

The Big3 is a franchise league Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz started back in 2017. It’s your summer hoops fix with former NBA ballers going at it 3-on-3 style. They play to 50 points with no game clock, just a quick 14-second shot clock keeping things moving. And after eight regular-season games, teams battle in a two-week playoff where you need to win by at least 2.

As Dwight Howard prepares to join the Big 3, fellow league player Jeff Teague weighed in on the Club 520 Podcast. He said, “I think it’d be a good thing. I just want to know if he’s going if he’s playing for real or if Dwight Howard going to be shooting threes and sh*t… I need you to score all the points.” asking what version of Dwight Howard will arrive into the league, Will it be Superman who will cause havoc in the league? Or the Taiwanese iteration?

Teague added, “It’s Christmas out there with Dwight. He should get out there and really play for real. He’s going to average, he’s going to be the MVP of the league.” While skeptical, Teague acknowledged Howard’s dominance, even predicting an MVP season if he takes it seriously.

Howard himself seems fired up at the opportunity. The 39-year-old tweeted his arrival to the league with the caption, “I am extremely excited to be joining @thebig3 can’t wait to show yall the REAL Dwight from SACA 🔥➡️” SACA is a reference to his high school, Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy. It is here where he led his team to a 31–2 record and secured the Georgia state championship. SACA is where Howard became the player we know today, winning the Naismith Prep Player of the Year Award, the Gatorade National Player of the Year, and the McDonald’s National High School Player of the Year.

The Big 3 league has made a fair few changes for the upcoming iteration in 2025! With new faces joining the league along with a format change, let us look at the changes made.

The Big 3 League: New faces, new format

Now, the talk of the town for this iteration of the Big 3 league is Dwight Howard joining the league as a part of the Los Angeles Riots. The NBA veteran will bring his signature superman high-flying athleticism, dunks, and that beaming bright smile.

 In addition to Howard, there is Montrezl Harrell. Harrell is known for his career with the Los Angeles Clippers and the Charlotte Hornets. His signing is another significant addition for the league, adding experience to the roster. Another addition is Weslet Johnson, an NBA veteran who has played for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves. These players will be an addition to the new model of the league.

The most significant shift this season comes in the form of a brand-new format. The new format will include eight city-based teams. These are the Boston Ball Hogs, Chicago Triplets, Dallas Power, Detroit Amplifiers, DMV Trilogy, Houston Rig Hands, Los Angeles Riot, and Miami 305. The teams mentioned will replace the previous team structure, which transitions from the touring model to a completely location-based model.

These new changes, along with the power-packed signings, are looking like the X-factor the league needs to propel it into the stratosphere. Now, if Dwight Howard brings his A-game coupled with Jeff Teagues’ prophecy, let us hope for some fireworks to emerge.