Q&A: As The BIG3 returns to Boston, Ice Cube talks old-school Celtics, vaccine stance pushback, and more
The BIG3 returns to TD Garden with a six-game slate on Sunday.
The BIG3, a professional basketball league founded by entertainment mogul Ice Cube, returns to Boston on Sunday with a six-game slate at TD Garden.
In a wide-ranging interview with Boston.com, Cube discusses the upcoming event, which old-school Celtics got on his nerves the most as a Laker fan, his comments about lack of support from the NBA, Tom Brady’s ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders, and the pushback from his stance on vaccines, among other topics.
How has the BIG3 evolved since it last came to Boston in 2018, and what have you learned from running it?
“I think the players have gotten better. The athletes have gotten better. Everybody understands what it takes to win in the league. Coaches and players. They’re using all the strategies available to win the game, which is cool. And I just think we know how to put on an event. Putting on six games in one day is pretty intricate, and so I think we’ve gotten better at everything we’ve started doing. And being back to the touring model is way better than being in the bubble.”
Why was it important for you to have Boston as a stop on the tour?
“Basketball. When you have any kind of basketball event, you’re looking for places that have a history of loving basketball and places that don’t have a pro team as well, so it’s a balance. When we came there before, it was a lot going on in Boston. There was a Red Sox game vs. the Yankees, there was Patriots preseason going on, and I think there was a Justin Bieber concert and we still had a great crowd. So that just goes to show you how much people in Boston love basketball and it was really good for the BIG3.”
After he signed his supermax deal, Jaylen Brown mentioned you as one of the celebrities he’s been in contact with. How do you know Jaylen and what are your thoughts on his deal?
“I’ve been talking to him on and off. I haven’t hit him up about his deal because everybody is, so I don’t want to be that guy. But, I’ll hit him up in a day or two. We’re kind of talking about all kinds of different things. I’ll give him a congratulations. But, I just didn’t want to be like everybody else.”
Can I get your thoughts on Tom Brady buying an ownership stake in the Raiders?
“Raider Nation is almost looking like Patriot Nation over there. So many of them Patriots within the organization and on the team. So, we’ll see. Hopefully, they can bring some winning ways. We’ll see what Tom can do with the Raiders.”
Are you optimistic? Like you said, it’s kind of like Patriots West with Josh McDaniels, Jakobi Meyers, etc. How do you think the Raiders are going to do this year?
“They’ve got to get past the Chiefs, so they’ve got to do very well to make a dent. So, we’ll see. It’s hard to see them knocking off the defending champs. It’s quick in the development of the new regime, but we’ll see.”
I saw the interview you did with Tucker Carlson. How did the concept of taking him to your old neighborhood for a conversation come about? Why talk to him?
“I want to talk to everybody. I think that’s a problem with America right now, you know, people are not talking to each other especially if they disagree. So, I wanted to break that narrative. There’s nothing wrong with talking to everybody as long as you get out what you want to say. I thought it was a good dialogue for the nation to be able to check out. I wanted to do something outside of the box, more than just a studio sit-down. So we just wanted to be creative.”
In that interview, you referenced the NBA, saying that it’s easier to do things like paint Black Lives Matter on the court but it takes more effort to really care and work with a league like BIG3. What specifically could they do, if they wanted to support you and why should they do it?
“Well, I think they could drop the bylaw that considers us as a competitive league. I don’t think we’re competitive, I think we’re complementary. That’s one thing they can do. They can stop talking to sponsors and networks about not working with The BIG3. And, I think the reason they should do it is they have nothing really for athletes after they’re done with the NBA and we do. These are guys who have played in the league, these are guys who really want to do this, to continue their pro career. We’re 3 on 3, not 5 on 5. So, it’s kind of apples and oranges.”
Can you explain the complementary role? Why would a stronger BIG3 be good for the NBA?
“We’re doing things to change the game. They can always use us as a unique experiment with new rules and technology, things that they may want to try out that they aren’t ready to implement into the NBA yet. So, that’s one way. Their players really are all over the union when they’re done playing in the NBA to fund things for them to do either associated with the NBA or the G-League or the WNBA. This could be another outlet they could use for players that come through the league that they may not have a roster spot for. They could also develop young players in our league … I think there’s a lot of ways we could work together.”
Obviously, you are a Lakers fan, but do you have any favorite memories at TD Garden?
“I haven’t seen any Celtics games here, but my favorite moment was when the BIG3 came here. And this year will be my new favorite moment.”
You said The BIG3 is one of the proudest accomplishments of your life. Why do you feel that way?
“It’s setting the stage for some of my heroes. Especially, the coaches. It’s great to be able to do that, to be able to put them back where they belong in heated competition. To me, that’s something that I’m not used to doing. I’m used to setting the table for myself through movies or music or whatever. But, being able to set the stage for some of my heroes like Dr. J., the Iceman, Rick Barry, and those guys is very satisfying.”
Which old-school Celtics got on your nerves the most?
“Danny Ainge. He just looked like a little brat. But he could shoot and he hustled. I ended up meeting him and he’s a cool dude, but man in those series in the ’80s he would get under my skin. Him and Cedric Maxwell.”
Which BIG3 players are you most excited to see play on Sunday?
“Triplets got a great team with Joe Johnson and the Pargo brothers. And Power is great too. Power made it to the championship last year. They didn’t win but they’ve got a squad that’s strong in all positions. They play a little bully ball which is great. Trilogy is always tough, you can’t count them out. And the Enemies are looking good.”
You said in the past that Kevin Garnett was one of your dream recruits for The BIG3. Have you given up on that dream or do you still want to recruit him?
“I don’t know if he wants to play. I don’t want you if you don’t want to play and still have that dog in you to be a pro. I don’t just want your name, I want your game.”
Who are your dream recruits these days?
“Isaiah Thomas would be great. Dwight Howard. Lou Williams. Boogie Cousins. Those guys whole be great.”
Back to your interview with Tucker. You talked about dialogue being important. Did you anticipate the pushback with your stance on the vaccine?
Note: When Carlson asked Cube if he took a COVID-19 vaccine, Cube said it was pretty clear that he doesn’t do well with direct orders, felt that the vaccine was a “six-month rush job,” and didn’t feel safe taking it.
“Yep. I did. Everybody that takes a stand gets pushback.”
What has it been like dealing with that pushback? You said you were upset when stories of your stance on vaccines first got put out there.
“Yeah, I was upset because it got put out in an article and it wasn’t something I made public. It was just kind of made public for me. So, you know, people always got something to say, man. You know what they say about opinions and what they’re like. All of them stink. It doesn’t really matter what other people have to say. It matters what I have to say about me.”
What’s Ice Cube trying to say these days? What are you chasing these days at age 54?
“The pursuit of happiness, that’s what I’m chasing. Just like you.”
Did you ever envision yourself as a league founder and running a black-owned sports league?
“I never envisioned myself doing this at all. It’s something that I wanted as a fan to see come into existence. I looked around and we had the ability to do it, so it was like if it’s something you want and you have the ability to do it then give it a shot and see how it turns out. That’s how it came to be. And being a black-owned sports league, or the first, all that stuff, that don’t matter because sports is universal. Sports don’t have color. You’re either good or you’re not, you know?”
What does happiness look like for Ice Cube these days?
“Waking up every day and being able to do what I need to do. That’s happiness. It’s not complicated.”
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