As hypothesis grows round Angel Reese doubtlessly receiving a blockbuster supply from the BIG3 basketball league, Ice Cube has poured chilly water on the concept—at the very least for now.

Speaking to reporters at LAX this week, the rapper-turned-league founder confirmed there are not any quick plans to increase a proposal to the Chicago Sky ahead. His reasoning? Economics.

“It’s nothing personal against Angel,” Cube mentioned. “She’s a star, no doubt. But the numbers don’t work.”

He defined that sponsors seen Caitlin Clark, who declined the league’s reported $5 million supply earlier this yr, as a assured draw. Reese, whereas immensely in style, hasn’t acquired the identical monetary backing from BIG3’s companions.

“None of them told us that bringing in Angel would create that kind of return,” Cube continued. “So I don’t know if we can offer the same deal.”

The feedback replicate the league’s cautious method relating to investing in expertise outdoors its typical roster of retired NBA gamers. Though Reese has grow to be one of many WNBA’s most recognizable figures in her rookie season, the league’s present technique depends closely on sponsor projections and long-term monetary planning.

Despite lacking out on each Clark and Reese, Cube stays optimistic in regards to the BIG3’s ongoing season. “We’ve got some great players,” he mentioned. “Lance Stephenson’s electric. Dwight Howard’s drawing big crowds. Montrezl Harrell and Wesley Johnson have been great.”

Now in its eighth yr, the BIG3 has discovered a gentle rhythm by combining former NBA expertise with a fast-paced, half-court format that appeals to basketball traditionalists and informal followers alike.

Founded in 2017, the BIG3 has slowly advanced right into a summertime staple, generally known as a lot for its hip-hop aptitude as its on-court competitors. Cube has beforehand voiced curiosity in increasing the league’s enchantment by welcoming ladies into the fold, a imaginative and prescient that briefly got here to life throughout negotiations with Clark. Although that deal fell by way of, it sparked broader discussions about gender fairness in skilled basketball and the industrial potential of girls’s athletes.

Reese, who continues to dominate headlines and drive fan engagement within the WNBA, stays a high-profile determine within the sport’s broader cultural panorama. Whether she finally joins the BIG3 or not, her affect stretches properly past the hardwood.

For now, Cube is targeted on ending a robust season, insisting the league stays must-watch basketball—even and not using a WNBA crossover star on the courtroom.