There are plenty of reasons to be excited for the BIG3 to start later this month. It’s such a simple but tremendously fun concept – everyone loves playing 3-on-3 when they’re in their driveway or at a gym, but no one has ever thought to make a league out of it. Even the Olympics have decided to get in on the recent 3-on-3 wave.
The biggest reason that it’s so cool, though, is that it will feature a collection of former NBA players, meaning it will give fans the chance to enjoy watching dudes like Chauncey Billups and Jason Williams ball out again.
Of all the guys who are slated to play in the BIG3, none boast a bigger name than Allen Iverson, the player-coach for a 3’s Company squad that includes DerMarr Johnson, Andre Owens, Mike Sweetney, Ruben Patterson, and David Hawkins. Once Iverson came on board, it gave the league a sense of legitimacy that can only come when a Hall of Famer gets in on the action. Add in that Iverson is among the best basketball players of his generation and people are stoked to watch him play.
Apparently, Iverson is just as excited to get the chance to be the face of this league. BIG3 dropped a teaser video that shows him training to get ready to play with his high school basketball coach. The most telling part isn’t any of the moments were Iverson is getting buckets. Rather, it comes around the 1:31 mark when he misses a jumper and gets legitimately mad at himself, because it shows that he’s not taking the league as a joke.
Sure, Iverson isn’t the same player he was when he won an MVP award in 2001. But he seems like he’s bringing the same intensity to this game that he would have brought to a playoff game back in the day, which is good news for anyone who’s excited to watch the league.
