The Dr. J is not going home with Dr J this time. That’s, of course, the shiny trinket of the Big3 championship named after the great NBA icon, Julius ‘Dr. J’ Erving. Dr. Coach J and his team, Tri-State, fell to Gary Payton’s Bivouac in the playoffs that wrapped alongside the Olympics. That leaves Erving unable to reclaim the title he won in the inaugural season of the Big3. With a lineup of NBA and WNBA All-Star coaches, Big3 has made 3vs3 basketball the trendiest version of the game showcasing talent that’s starkly different from the standard NBA style. No wonder the founders and coaches feel as proud as Olympians.

After beating Tri-State 50-40 in the playoffs this weekend, Bivouac are competing for the Dr. J trophy in the finals against 3s Company. The trophy was named after Irving, who was the first winning coach of the inaugural Big 3 tournament six years ago. The reason Big 3 became recognized is because of its players’ tougher defensive skills and versatile role-playing. Talking about tough, even Ice Cube is a fan of the event!

However, Ice Cube wasn’t the only tough person around, the same attitude was demonstrated by NCAA and NBA champion and current Big3 star, Corey Brewer. Playing for Bivouac, Brewer has shown some astounding defensive chops that soon after the playoffs, Payton had a declaration. “It would be a shame if he didn’t win MVP and Defensive Player of the Year.”

Brewer averaged 18.4 points, 8.8 rebounds, and more than a block and steal per game through Bivouac’s season. During the playoffs, he’s been met with MVP chants wherever he went.

His competition is Michael Beasley, who led 3s Company to the finals as well. Tied 47-47 with enemies in the playoff game, the former NBA pro hit the game-winning shot and walked off the arena in the most jaw-dropping fashion last game. With this much-stacked talent in an aggressive version of basketball, no wonder Ice Cube is throwing out blunt challenges.

Ice Cube demands respect for Big3

Big 3 has existed since 2017 but 3vs3 ball was introduced internationally in the last Olympic games in 2021. The US failed to qualify for the Tokyo game and in 2024, the Team USA men’s trio barely lasted. The women made it to a bronze finish. But the lack of any Big 3 talent in the Team USA roster has left its founder extremely bitter.

During the playoffs, they flamed the Olympic selection process and Team USA for disregarding his league and its players. He issued a strong challenge to the Olympics 3vs3 gold medalists, the Netherlands, to compete with the Big3 All-Stars for a $150,000 prize on August 18. He hints that they’re already talking with the Netherlands team who have yet to accept the challenge, but there’s pushback about the rules.

The Olympics 3vs3 format adopted the FIBA rules. While the hip-hop mogul said they studied the FIBA rules before launching the Big3, his league doesn’t fully implement it. Yet he wants this opportunity to show the Team USA organization that they have stronger 3vs3 talent before the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Depends on whether that game’s happening on the 18th.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.