— BIG3 Brings Professional Basketball To Tulsa, Oklahoma With Star-Studded Rosters Headed By Legendary Coaches In New Half Court 3-on-3 League —
— Ice Cube Thrills 10,000+ Fans With Surprise Halftime Performance of Classic Song It Was A Good Day —
(TULSA, OK) July 9, 2017 — BIG3 kicked off another week of highly competitive, professional 3-on-3 basketball at BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Sunday. The jam-packed day of basketball featured a coaching duel between Hall of Famers and Olympic Gold Medalists Clyde Drexler and Gary Payton. Chauncey Billups once again earned his “Mr. Big Shot” nickname draining a 4-point shot to put the game out of reach for Jermaine O’Neal’s Tri-State, Ricky Davis scored a game-high 23 points along with nine rebounds in Ghost Ballers’ victory, and Al Harrington’s stellar 70% shooting against Hall of Famer Allen Iverson’s 3’s Company pushed Trilogy over the top as the only remaining undefeated team in the league.
The incredible endurance of BIG3’s players and 3-on-3 format was showcased during Week 3, as game intensity continued to impress following outstanding competition at Charlotte’s Spectrum Center in Week 2 and Brooklyn’s Barclays Center in Week 1.
Kicking off the day with signature BIG3 top-level play, Rashard Lewis and Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf combined for 42 of the 3 Headed Monsters’ 50 points in a win over Power. Abdul-Rauf led with 22 points on 64% shooting from the field, contributing four 3-pointers and five assists as his team went on a 12 point run in the first half.
Sitting courtside, BIG3 co-founder and music legend Ice Cube added enthusiasm to the arena throughout the day, most notably during halftime of Game 4 when the crowd enticed him into an incredible performance of It Was A Good Day, bringing more than 10,000 fans to their feet and elevating energy levels to even greater heights for the rest of the game.
NBA MVP Russell Westbrook entered the BOK Center to thunderous MVP chants. Westbrook’s attendance during Week 3 coupled with James Harden’s stop in Brooklyn for BIG3’s inaugural Week 1 games ‒ the two leading finalists for the 2017 NBA MVP award ‒ is a testament to the quality of basketball and national appeal of the BIG3. Soon-to-be Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady also made his presence felt in Tulsa, sitting courtside and interacting with former teammates and opponents alike.
Many other sports and entertainment stars have been spotted enjoying BIG3 games in past weeks, including LL Cool J, Whoopi Goldberg, Paul Pierce, Steve Smith, Kemba Walker, Jalen Rose, Sam Cassell, D’Angelo Russell, Lou Williams, Anthony Hamilton and Naturi Naughton.
Displaying its commitment to local communities and providing long-lasting memories for kids, the day’s games were kicked off by an impressive rendition of the national anthem by #BIG3Choir contest winner Canterbury Youth Voices.
