Highest paid Big 3 players are Nick Young, Joe Johnson, Michael Beasley and Jason Richardson. The base payment for draft picks is $100,000.
The Big 3 is a league where former NBA players travel around and compete in a unique three-on-three basketball format.
Players in this league typically make around $10,000 for each game they play, and they also receive bonuses based on their team’s success. In some cases, salaries can go as high as $100,000.
In January 2017, Ice Cube, an American rapper and hip-hop musician, teamed up with entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz to pitch the concept of Big3.
Then in April, the league conducted its initial draft, while the first week of matches occurred in June 2017 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
How Much are Big3 Players Paid?
Big 3 basketball player salary is $10,000 per game. They also earn additional incentives depending on how well their team performs.
A player can earn a six-figure earning in a single season with wages alone if they win the ultimate silverware and other individual accolades.
The league also has a playoff format, with the top four teams advancing to the semifinals in each conference. The winners of the final four then meet in the championship game.
The club that emerges triumphant in the championship game will be awarded a prize worth around $1 million.
In BIG3, the base payment for draft picks is 100,000 USD. On top of that, there is another incentive, 52% of all the profits made by the 3-on-3 league go to the twelve teams, Bleacher Reports stated.
The franchise that finishes in first place will receive 30% of that money, while the team in eighth place will receive a minor portion.
For the 2023 season, a total of 60 players are registered on Big Three rosters, 5 from each team. Players who participated were able to earn millions throughout their professional careers consistently.
For example, Jason Richardson, who played professionally for 14 years in the NBA and is currently the captain of the Tr-State team.
How Much Is The Big 3 League Worth?
Big 3 league generates an estimated annual revenue of $3.2 million. The company has experienced exponential growth since its establishment, even in a relatively short amount of time.
Per Maury Brown from Forbes, the Big 3 basketball league had an average of 10.7K people attending their games in the debut season in 2017.
The following year, attendance increased by 25 percent to reach 13.4K, as reported in August 2018. Besides, the league attracted more than 16,300 fans during the early weeks of the 2018 season.
Moreover, the growing interest in Big3 can also be traced from television and media coverage as more and more people are tuning in for the league games during the summer.
Big 3 Pay Scale
The pay scale in the Big 3 varies greatly, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000. Head coaches make the most cut apart from players in the league.
Stephen Jackson, who led Trilogy to two consecutive Big3 titles in 2021 and 2023, is the highest-paid coach in the league.
Jackson, a San Antonio Spurs team member that won the NBA championship in 2003, instilled a strong winning mindset in his players. As a result, they achieved back-to-back victories and claimed the Julius Erving trophy.
On the other hand, every year, players in the Big3 league have the chance to nominate and vote for their fellow players and coaches in various award categories.
The winners of these accolades are revealed just before the championship game. Some award categories include Most Valuable Player, Coach of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, 4th Man, and others.
Additionally, these athletes who have received awards are compensated with a small sum in recognition of their individual brilliance.
However, the 2018 NBA champion, Nick Young, made a big reveal in 2022. During an interview with DJ Vlad, he expressed his dissatisfaction with Ice Cube’s BIG3 league.
Young stated that the league did not follow its payment schedule for players in the earlier season. He highlighted the inadequacy of the league’s organization, with games and payments being unexpectedly called off.
According to Young, the league faced financial difficulties, which nearly resulted in the season being cut short. He suggested that BIG3 needs better investments and improved organization.
Young also highlighted that the salaries offered by the Big 3 are considerably lower than what players receive in international leagues.
Big 3 Coaches salary ranges from $57,696 to $73,668 per year along with other bonuses and incentives depending on the team’s performance.
Who Are Big 3 Coaches?
Here are the coaches for the Big 3 league:
- 3’s Company – Michael Cooper
- 3 Headed Monsters – Reggie Theus
- Aliens – Rick Mahorn
- Ball Hogs – Rick Barry
- Bivouac – Gary Payton
- Enemies – Gilbert Arenas
- Ghost Ballers – George Gervin
- Killer 3’s – Charles Oakley
- Power – Nancy Lieberman
- Trilogy – Stephen Jackson
- Tri-State – Julius Erving
- Triplets – Lisa Leslie
In 2017, the Big 3 initiated play with eight original teams. However, after two years, in 2019, the league expanded to 12 teams by adding four new franchises, Aliens, Bivouac, Enemies, and Triplets.
Out of the 5 seasons the league has had so far, Team Trilogy has emerged as the champion 3 times, making them the team with the most titles.
Former NBA power forward Rick Mahorn coached Trilogy and guided them to the first BIG3 championship trophy at MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, in 2017.
Team Power and Triplets secured the title win the following seasons in 2018 and 2019. Head coach Nancy Lieberman showcased her tactical brilliance as Power beat 3’s Company in the 2018 Final.
Triplets, led by another female coach Lisa Leslie, won their first Big 3 championship the following season. Leslie is a two-time WNBA champion who has won several individual honors during her playing career.
Similarly, former NBA star Stephen Jackson, the current gaffer of Trilogy, joined Big 3 in 2017 to play for Killer 3s. After three seasons playing under coach Charles Oakley, Jackson became head coach of Trilogy in 2021.
In his first year as a coach, the 45-year-old man guided Trilogy to win the championship in 2021. He then repeated this success by winning the crown again in 2022.
Moreover, the 11-time NBA All-star and 1983 NBA champion Julius Erving is also a part of BIG3, serving as the leading coach of Team Tri-State.
Where To Watch Big 3 Basketball?
There are several platforms available to watch Big 3 basketball. They are:
- CBS
- Paramount+
- BIG3.com
- Youtube
If you are looking to catch live games, CBS, Paramount+, and the official website of BIG3 would be great options. Additionally, replays of games are available for viewing on YouTube.
CBS Networks air two live games each week, typically on Saturday afternoons. Meanwhile, Paramount+ is the exclusive streaming home of BIG3 basketball. You can watch every game live and playbacks of previous games.
Similarly, the official website of BIG3 streams all games live and provides replays of past games as well, whereas you can catch replays of all matchups on their official YouTube channel.
During the 2017 season, the regular season and playoffs were televised on Fox Sports 1 with an 8-week delay, but the championship game was broadcast live on Fox.
After the partnership with Fox ended, Big 3 revealed in April 2019 that they had secured a new broadcast agreement with CBS Sports, which resulted in their coverage being shifted to CBS and CBS Sports Network.
Big 3 Basketball Schedule 2023
The Big 3 basketball league started on 25 June 2023 and will end on 26 August 2023, with the championship game at O2 Arena in London.
| Round | Date | Venue |
| Week 1 | June 25 | United Center, Chicago, IL |
| Week 2 | July 1 | American Airlines Center, Dallas, TX |
| Week 3 | July 9 | Barclays Center, New York, NY |
| Week 4 | July 15 | FedEx Forum, Memphis, TN |
| Week 5 | July 23 | Kaseya Center, Miami, FL |
| Week 6 | July 30 | TD Garden, Boston, MA |
| Week 7 | August 5 | Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC |
| Week 8 | August 13 | Little Caesars Arena, Detroit, MI |
| Playoffs | August 19 | Capital One Arena, Washington, DC |
| Championship | August 26 | O2 Arena, London, England |