Plenty of retired NBA players can still ball, something that Ice Cube is banking on for his new 3-on-3 basketball league, BIG3. The league already has some big names on board like the former Deputy Executive Director of the NBA Players Association and Hall-of-Fame guard Gary Payton, and they’ve just added another Hall-of-Famer – Allen Iverson.
Not only will AI perform duties as coach of one of the eight teams, he will play in the games. The player/coach position is something that’s built into each team, which makes sense given all the league’s participants are going to be roughly Luke Walton’s age. Iverson is 41, while Los Angeles Lakers head coach Luke Walton is only 36.
The league is clearly attracting attention among former ballers who still have the competitive fire. Players who have committed to participating in the half-court 3-on-3 league include Chauncey Billups, Kenyon Martin, Rashard Lews, Jermaine O’Neal, Stephen Jackson and Jason “White Chocolate” Williams.
The league is set to begin this summer and travel through eight cities in its inaugural season. It’ll be a great way to scratch that NBA itch during the long off-season months. We can’t wait to see Allen Iverson pull out his legendary crossover again.
[via The Vertical]