The BIG3 basketball league has decided to take quite the leap and invest in women’s college star Caitlin Clark. According to sources, she’s been offered $5 million to compete this upcoming campaign as soon as her last season with Iowa comes to an end. Even though she would attract many fans to tune into the matches, not everyone is as impressed with her abilities.
Ex-NBA Gilbert Arenas invited Kenyon Martin, another former star who has also participated in the BIG3, to talk on his podcast. According to the New Jersey Nets icon, he doesn’t believe Caitlin would succeed in this format, even stating his doubts if she will be able to score a single point.
“It’s a step under prison ball. Could you imagine her getting stuck down on Reggie Evans?” he said on the controversial podcast. “Just take for s—-s and giggles this was a real thing, if she was able to participate and he put her out there. Could you imagine her being matched up and Reggie guarding her, for one. For two, this being 3-on-3, she can’t hide nowhere. Guard Reggie Evans out that mother—er.”
.@icecube joined the @PatMcAfeeShow to talk about the $5M offer the Big3 made to Caitlin Clark 👀 pic.twitter.com/lY8O8UY0ZX
— ESPN (@espn) March 27, 2024
Arenas, well known for his polemic point of views, agreed with this claim. “No, she will not score,” he said, to what Martin replied: “She would not score one… It’s 3-on-3, she can’t hide nowhere.”
While Ice Cube, owner of the league, confirmed that the deal was offered, but Clark has yet to comment on the opportunity. “We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship. But I won’t deny what’s now already out there: BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark,” shared the legendary hip-hop icon.
“Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3. The skeptics laughed when we made Nancy Lieberman the first female coach of a men’s pro team, and she won the championship in her first year. Then Lisa Leslie won it all in year two. With our offer, Caitlin Clark can make history and break down even more barriers for women athletes,” the artist assured.
Ice Cube believes American female basketball athletes shouldn’t have to travel to other countries to earn the money they deserve
The rapper has always been hailed as a basketball expert, mostly due to his involvement in the BIG3 project, which hopes to bring the game back to the streets in a raw 3-on-3 format. The hip hop star explained that he’s seen too many American basketball stars go overseas to find better financial opportunities than what the WNBA offers.
This is part of the motivations over why Ice Cube decided to propose this deal to Clark, as he believes this kind of entertainment could revolutionise the industry. “America’s women athletes should not be forced to spend their off seasons playing in often dismal and dubious foreign countries just to make ends meet,” he explained.
“And they should have more than just one professional option in the U.S. at a time when American pro sports leagues are being infiltrated by autocratic, anti-women regimes such as Qatar, ” the artist added. “Our pathbreaking offer to Caitlin Clark demonstrates that BIG3 now offers another choice for athletes.”
Caitlin is currently leading the Hawkeyes to the Sweet 16. After beating the West Virginia Mountaineers 64-54, the young star is headed to the next round of the 2024 NCAA tournament.
