Caitlin Clark’s offer from the Ice Cube came way before her WNBA draft. The Big3 founder has given an inside scoop on why the deal never went through. Ice Cube founded the Big3 League in 2017 for NBA players to have another opportunity.
The Indiana Fever Guard Clark was offered $5 million a year, a never-heard-before amount for a WNBA player to play against men in Big3. Why did Clark not agree to the offer?
According to Ice Cube, the offer was given because of the potential of Clark. He believed she could change the game for all women in the sports. So the offer had to be eyebrow-raising. Ice Cube revealed he never got to speak with Caitlin Clark or her family. He revealed the details on the OG podcast alongside the co-hosts Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller.
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“Her agents blocked it a little bit you know we never got a chance to have a conversation with her and her family. They make their money off NBA players you know not WNBA players. So they not going to piss the NBA off for one player and so it didn’t happen.” Ice Cube said.
The 55-year-old had also offered an option for equity, apart from the hefty contract of $10 million for two years. Ice Cube knew it was a big step for the entire basketball landscape. “You know her (Caitlin Clark) trying to play with the men at the professional level would have opened up the minds of a lot of people.” The actor, however, has no regrets about the offer not materializing.
Ice Cube’s offer brought pay disparity to light
The Grammy Award winner has moved on from the Caitlin Clark saga but is proud of the offer that he presented. Ice Cube’s offer helped shed light on the pay disparity issue with the WNBA players.
As per reports, Clark would earn $338,000 during her four-year contract with the Indiana Fever. Ice Cube was ready to shift the game so Caitlin Clark could play in both WNBA and the Big3 without conflict.
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“It was a big swing you know, it would have unlocked a lot of dollars. As far as sponsor-wise for the league, um ticket sales, ratings. You definitely are not doing your job if you don’t go after a player like this.”
Clark continues to set records as the latest Fever vs Sky game averaged 2.25 million viewers on CBS. It was the most-watched game in the WNBA in 23 years. Its peak viewership was nearly 3 million.
Now the launch of the new women’s league ‘Unrivaled’, which has the current WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier as co-founders, surely provides another opportunity for women to showcase their talent.
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Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.