24 Dates in 2024

24 Dates in 2024 – Date #12

Cirque Du Soleil B-ball tricks, the 4-point circle, celebrity coaches, retired N.B.A. players, and bumping get-out-your-seat music can only mean one thing. It’s the Big3 for Date #12 of our 24 dates in 2024.

Ken and I have hit the halfway mark!

The Big3 is a 3-on-3 basketball league founded by hip-hop musician and actor Ice Cube. The league consists of 12 teams whose rosters include former N.B.A. and international players. 

In hopes of watching Caitlyn Clark up close and personal (she was offered a 5-mill contract from Ice Cube ), I said a big “yes” to going to the Big3 at the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ.

She wasn’t the only reason I said, “I’m in.” I have a unique infinity for the game, which dates back to my college days when I graduated with Rebecca Lobo and Ray Allen the same year UCONN Men’s and Women’s teams won the National Championships. That’s the year the Women’s team was undefeated and landed the cover of Sports Illustrated. I had always enjoyed playing basketball but caught the fever back then. My temp spikes for college ball, live ball, and driveway shenanigans ( see blog #5 and pinned IG @sammy1will for video). It dips for watching the pros on T.V. No shade.

As competitive as college ball can be, the joy of playing translates. It’s fun for the players, and it’s fun to watch. I don’t get that vibe from professional teams. It seems like the job it is, and the fan base behavior is disturbing.

With half-court, fast-paced action, a 4-point circle, a little street flavor play, and pyrotechnics ( that be fire), the whole Big3 experience was everything it was meant to be, downright fun and entertaining. Especially when we realized our seats were broken and were upgraded to be near courtside. We knew the seats were fire when the usher kept walking and walking. That, and when looking at the big screen, it broke our necks. It was a better view to just look straight ahead.

The Big3 is nothing but BIG love for the game. The energy was lively, and the line-up of players and coaches participating kept us guessing who would take the court next. Although Caitlyn Clark did not make her debut, we did get to see Dr. J, a legend and top 10 basketball player of all time, and Lisa Leslie, a former W.N.B.A. player whose career highlights and awards are spin-worthy. And, of course, the celeb fans courtside made their appearances; most recognizable was Antonio Brown, a former N.F.L. player. The halftime show was M.O.P. performing a cleaned-up version of every athlete’s hype song, Ante Up.

We had a blast and would absolutely go again. The Big3 returns to the East Coast in Boston on August 18th, so if you are up for a little road trip, click here to check it out and get your tix for your next date.

I hope you get the broken seats!

(Full disclosure: We took our 17- and 20-year-old, and they gave it thumbs-up approval, too. )