Ice Cube’s Complaints Accusing The NBA Of Sabotaging His Big 3 League Are Finally Being Investigated By The Department Of Justice

Ice Cube

Ice Cube’s Complaints Accusing The NBA Of Sabotaging His Big 3 League Are Finally Being Investigated By The Department Of Justice

Famed rap star Ice Cube just may get his day in court soon.

According to reports, the Big 3 basketball league co-founder has been in talks with the Department of Justice to officially look into his allegations against the NBA.

It’s no secret that Ice Cube, real name O’Shea Jackson, believes that his sports league is being bullied and targeted by the NBA. On multiple occasions, the 54-year-old has publicly expressed his frustrations about “gatekeepers” in the industry, subtly accusing the professional basketball organization of using intimidation tactics to keep his own company at bay. Now, it seems that the DOJ is taking the accusations seriously. Reports state that an investigation was opened by the government entity months ago to look into the situation.

What the department is reportedly searching for is proof that the NBA has been partaking in “anticompetitive” behavior in order to stunt the Big 3’s growth. Specific actions being looked into reportedly include; deterring sponsors and potential partners from doing business with the league, keeping networks from showing the league’s games, discouraging current NBA team owners from investing in the league, as well as implementing rules to prevent current NBA players from joining the organization in their off-season.

Additionally, a source familiar with the situation reportedly claims that referees have been told they can’t work for Big 3 games, despite being able to work for other sports entities during their off time. Likewise, NBA stars such as Lebron James and Kevin Durant often opt to continue playing in smaller leagues during their off-season, though rules added since the Big 3’s inception allegedly keep them from participating in Cube’s league. The organization was started by the “Friday” star and his business partner Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017 and is currently mostly comprised of retired basketball athletes.

Reports also note that players, in a perfect situation, would be able to join the Big 3 if they wanted to, as the seasons don’t overlap. Reportedly, Cube and Kwatinetz began having meetings with the DOJ earlier this year, and the government agent has already started interviewing NBA team owners as part of the investigation. If the NBA is found liable of violating anti-trust laws, they reportedly face serious fines and penalties. A rep for the organization, however, maintains their innocence. They released a statement stating:

“We have been supportive of the Big3 since its inception, but we declined to invest.”

Reportedly, neither Cube, Kwatinetz, nor the DOJ have officially responded to requests from publications to comment on the investigation. However, Cube did take to his social media and briefly addressed the dispute. He wrote on X, (formerly Twitter):

“Correction: BIG3 never asked the NBA to invest, we just want them to stop pressuring individuals and coperations not to invest in the BIG3. They must be stopped.”

[VIA]

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