Ice Cube and his business partner Jeff Kwatinetz of BIG3 recently expressed their disappointment over the alleged interference in Caitlin Clark’s potential recruitment to their basketball league.
Despite offering Clark a groundbreaking $5 million deal to join their three-on-three basketball venture, they claim that her agents, purportedly aligned with the NBA, hindered the opportunity from reaching her.
Clark, hailed as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA history, was approached by Ice Cube’s league with a lucrative offer, aiming to make her the first female player in the BIG3.
However, the story took a different turn when she was selected by the Indiana Fever in the 2024 WNBA draft, signing a contract reportedly worth approximately $338,000 over four years, translating to an average annual salary of $84,500.
In a public letter authored by Kwatinetz and shared on Ice Cube’s website, the duo pointed fingers at Clark’s agents, accusing them of being influenced by what they refer to as the “NBA mob.”
“We suspect that these male agents and executives, who seem to have strong ties to the NBA, deliberately withheld our groundbreaking offer from Caitlin and obstructed any possibility of her discussing the opportunity with BIG3,” the letter stated.
The letter goes on to suggest that these representatives prioritize the interests of the NBA, given their client roster predominantly consisting of NBA players.
“Our impression is that these agents do not solely represent Caitlin’s best interests but are rather aligned with the NBA’s agenda. The NBA exerts considerable influence and instills fear among its agents, lawyers, and networks, compelling them to suppress the potential success of ventures like BIG3, even if it means impeding the progress of women’s basketball,” the letter continued.
Amid ongoing negotiations concerning significant NBA media deals, Ice Cube and Kwatinetz imply that the NBA’s clout outweighs the interests of promising female players like Caitlin Clark.
While Ice Cube and Kwatinetz express frustration over what they perceive as interference in their recruitment efforts, Clark’s future in professional basketball remains an evolving narrative.
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