Ice Cube, co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league, revealed that no $5 million offer like the one extended to Caitlin Clark last season will be made to Chicago Sky star Angel Reese .
Why? Because she's not nearly the draw that her Indiana Fever colleague is.
Speaking to TMZ Sports at LAX, Mr. Cube explained that corporate sponsors saw Clark's involvement as a major financial boost for the league, but did not express the same enthusiasm for Reese.
Those sponsors, he explained, "didn't tell us the same thing about Angel Reese ."
"I don't think we can make that same offer because it won't have the same impact to the league," the iconic rapper said.
Angel Reese, while a standout player during her sophomore season, averaging 13.8 points and 12.5 rebounds, has not been viewed by BIG3 sponsors as having the same financial impact as Caitlin Clark .
Which, to anybody having a working set of eyes, can be seen. Reese is a solid player, but the WNBA right now is completely lifted by Clark's presence as a transcendent athlete. Ticket sales. Ratings. All due to her presence.
That BIG3 basketball league offer is simply more proof.
The $5 million deal offered to Clark was for just eight regular-season games and up to two playoff games, with additional compensation from merchandising and sponsorships. We repeat, $5 million for eight games.
Clark, who turned down the offer to join the WNBA's Indiana Fever , earned around $11 million in endorsements in 2024, despite a $76,000 rookie salary.
Would she have earned less in endorsements if she joined BIG3 instead? Probably. Would it have been substantially less? Probably not. But the players in the other league would likely have been just as jealous because of the attention Clark receives.
RELATED: Caitlin Clark's Brother Points Direct Finger for His Sister's Injuries
Ice Cube, at the time of offering Clark the insane amount of money for an insanely minimal amount of games, insisted his league would treat her like the star she is.
"It's really about being a fan: Being a fan of the game, being a fan of my heroes, like Dr. J, Iceman, Rick Barry and Gary Payton," he said .
Pretty good company to be included in.
"And making sure if you're gonna invite them to dinner, you better not have no (expletive) paper plates," he added. "Pull out the good stuff."
Reese would be getting the paper plates. Clark, the good stuff.
Unrivaled, another 3-on-3 professional women's basketball league, also tried to lure Clark in with a big money offer, but likewise was rebuffed.
Instead, she opted to get paper plates from the WNBA. And not the fancy heavy-duty Chinet classics either. The kind you have to double or triple up so the macaroni salad doesn't plunge to the ground at your family cookout.
But the BIG3 offer is a good reminder that there are other leagues out there waiting to pounce when the WNBA commits professional suicide by shutting down due to a strike later this year.
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