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Ice Cube‘s historic Big3 offer has received a response from Iowa Hawkeyes’ baller, Caitlyn Clark, who earlier this month became NCAA Division I basketball’s all-time leading scorer.
According to CNN, when speaking to the media before her team’s Sweet 16 matchup against Colorado on Saturday (March 30), Clark expressed her own surprise regarding the announcement.
“To be honest, I found out about the Big3 thing at the exact time you all did, and my main focus is on just playing basketball,” revealed Clark. “I honestly don’t talk about those things with really anybody. I have other people that deal with it, and they haven’t said a word to me about it. My main focus is on this team and helping us find a way to beat Colorado and hopefully win another one after that.”
Cube may also have some competition for the young baller’s talents. CNN also reports that Clark snagged an invite to USA Basketball’s Olympic training camp in Cleveland. Though, both Clark and Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder are banking on her focus being on the women’s Final Four.
On Wednesday (March 27), TMZ revealed that Cube had offered Clark $5 million to play in his three-on-three basketball league, which would make her the first woman to do so.
The lucrative deal would see Clark participate in eight regular season games and potentially two playoff games if her team advanced to the postseason.
Clark would also receive “substantial additional compensation” from merchandising and sponsorships while also still being allowed to play in the WNBA.
The 22-year-old has already announced her eligibility for the 2024 WNBA Draft next month and is anticipated to be selected as the number one pick, set to join the Indiana Fever.
Shortly after the report emerged, the legendary West Coast MC addressed the news on Instagram, describing the offer as an opportunity to “make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.”
“We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship. But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark,” he began.
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“Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3. The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men’s pro team, and she won the championship in her first year.
“Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes.”
He continued: “America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet. And they should have more than just one professional option in the US at a time when American pro sports leagues are being infiltrated by autocratic, anti-women regimes such as Qatar.
“Our pathbreaking offer to Caitlin Clark demonstrates that BIG3 now offers another choice for athletes.”
Launched in 2017, BIG3 quickly garnered attention for being the first and only Black-owned sports league.
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