2017 Big3 season explained

2017 BIG3 season
League:BIG3
Sport:3x3 basketball
Duration:June 25, 2017–August 13, 2017
August 20, 2017 (playoffs)
August 26, 2017 (championship)
No Of Games:32 (regular season)
No Of Teams:8
Tv:FS1 (Tape delay)
Fox (Championship game, Live)
Attendance:99,187
Average Attendance:11,020
Draft:Draft
Draft Link:2017 Big3 season#Player selections
Top Pick:Rashad McCants
Picked By:Trilogy
Season:Regular season
Season Champs:Trilogy
Second Place:3 Headed Monsters
Finals:Playoffs
Finals Champ:Trilogy
Finals Runner-Up:3 Headed Monsters
Nextseason Link:2018 Big3 season
Nextseason Year:2018

The 2017 season was the inaugural BIG3 season. The regular season began on June 25, 2017 and ended on August 13, 2017.[1] On August 26, 2017, Trilogy defeated the 3 Headed Monsters 51–46 in the BIG3 Championship game, completing a perfect (10–0) season.[2]

Venues

WeekDate(s)VenueCityNotes
1June 25, 2017Barclays CenterBrooklyn, New YorkInaugural venue
Attendance: 15,177[3]
2July 2, 2017Spectrum CenterCharlotte, North CarolinaRegular season
Attendance: 10,651[4]
3July 9, 2017BOK CenterTulsa, OklahomaRegular season
Attendance: 10,000+
4July 16, 2017Wells Fargo CenterPhiladelphia, PennsylvaniaRegular season
Attendance: 12,435
5July 23, 2017UIC PavilionChicago, IllinoisRegular season
Attendance: 9,044
6July 30, 2017American Airlines CenterDallas, TexasRegular season
Attendance: 15,000+
7August 6, 2017Rupp ArenaLexington, KentuckyRegular season
Attendance: 8,009
8August 13, 2017Staples CenterLos Angeles, CaliforniaRegular season
Attendance: 10,288
9August 20, 2017KeyArenaSeattle, WashingtonPlayoffs
Attendance: 8,583
10August 26, 2017MGM Grand Garden Arena[5] [6] Las Vegas, NevadaChampionship game

Draft

The inaugural BIG3 draft was held on April 30, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada.[7] Twenty-four players were selected across three rounds.

Player selections

PickPlayerTeamNBA experienceLast teamLast played
1Rashad McCantsTrilogy5 years Cañeros del Este2015
2 Andre Owens3's Company2 years BC Hallmann Vienna2015
3Reggie EvansKiller 3s14 years Sacramento Kings2015
4 Xavier SilasTri-State1 year Northern Arizona SunsActive
5Kwame Brown3 Headed Monsters12 years Philadelphia 76ers2013
6Jerome WilliamsPower7 years New York Knicks2005
7Derrick ByarsBall Hogs1 year Delaware 87ersActive
8Maurice EvansGhost Ballers9 years Washington Wizards2012
9Marcus BanksGhost Ballers8 years SLUC Nancy Basket2014
10Rasual ButlerBall Hogs13 years San Antonio Spurs2016
11DeShawn StevensonPower13 years Atlanta Hawks2013
12Eddie Basden3 Headed Monsters1 year Franca Basquetebol Clube2014
13Lee NailonTri-State6 years Panteras de Aguascalientes2014
14Larry HughesKiller 3s13 years Orlando Magic2012
15Mike Sweetney3's Company4 years Urunday UniversitarioActive
16James WhiteTrilogy3 years Petrochimi Bandar Imam BCActive
17Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf3 Headed Monsters9 years Kyoto Hannaryz2011
18Dominic McGuireBall Hogs6 years Leones de Ponce2016
19Dion GloverTrilogy6 years Gaiteros del Zulia2007
20Moochie NorrisPower9 years Yakima Sun Kings2008
21Ruben Patterson3's Company10 years Champville SC2009
22Ivan JohnsonGhost Ballers2 years Reales de La Vega2016
23Mike JamesTri-State12 years Texas Legends2015
24Brian CookKiller 3s9 years Chiba JetsActive
NOTES

Regular season

Week 1 (Brooklyn, NY)

The inaugural week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at the Barclays Center, in Brooklyn, New York. It featured four 3x3 basketball games. The winner of each game was determined by the first team to reach 60-points, such that when they reached 60 or more points they led by 2 points or more, half time occurs when one team reached 30 or more points. If a team reaches 60 or more points without leading by 2, the game enters "overtime" and continues until one team leads the other by 2 or more points. During this week, the inaugural game went to overtime.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Ghost Ballers60–62 3 Headed Monsters
Game 2Tri-State58–62 Power
Game 33's Company61–51 Ball Hogs
Game 4Killer 3's45–60 Trilogy

Week 2 (Charlotte, NC)

The second week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at the Spectrum Center, in Charlotte, North Carolina. The winner of each game was determined by the first team to reach 50-points, such that when they score 50 or more points and they lead by 2 points. Half time occurs when one team reached 25 or more points. The 50-point goal has been kept in place after the 60-point goal made the games a little too lengthy.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Ball Hogs50–44 Tri-State
Game 2Trilogy50–37 3 Headed Monsters
Game 3Power50–45 Killer 3's
Game 43's Company45–50 Ghost Ballers

Week 3 (Tulsa, OK)

The third week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at the BOK Center, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Power32–50 3 Headed Monsters
Game 2Killer 3's51–44 Tri-State
Game 3Ball Hogs45–50 Ghost Ballers
Game 4Trilogy50–42 3's Company

Week 4 (Philadelphia, PA)

The fourth week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at the Wells Fargo Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Ghost Ballers44–51 Power
Game 2Trilogy50–43 Ball Hogs
Game 3Killer 3's46–51 3 Headed Monsters
Game 43's Company44–51 Tri-State

Week 5 (Chicago, IL)

The fifth week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at the UIC Pavilion, in Chicago, Illinois. Trilogy clinched a playoff berth with a win over Tri-State.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Ball Hogs34–51 Power
Game 2Tri-State34–51 Trilogy
Game 33's Company32–51 3 Headed Monsters
Game 4Killer 3's46–50 Ghost Ballers

Week 6 (Dallas, TX)

The sixth week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at the American Airlines Center, in Dallas, Texas. 3 Headed Monsters clinched a playoff berth with a win over Tri-State.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Killer 3's50–40 Ball Hogs
Game 2Tri-State45–50 3 Headed Monsters
Game 3Trilogy51–36 Ghost Ballers
Game 43's Company53–49 Power

Week 7 (Lexington, KY)

The seventh week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at Rupp Arena, in Lexington, Kentucky.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Ball Hogs34–50 3 Headed Monsters
Game 2Killer 3's48–51 3's Company
Game 3Trilogy50–45 Power
Game 4Tri-State51–43 Ghost Ballers

Week 8 (Los Angeles, CA)

In a repeat of the first weeks games, the eighth and final week of games in the Big3 Basketball League took place at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California. The Ghost Ballers and Power clinch playoff berths as the last two in, eliminating 3's Company due to a loss to the Ball Hogs.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Tri-State51–42 Power
Game 2Killer 3's41-50 Trilogy
Game 33's Company47–50 Ball Hogs
Game 4Ghost Ballers50–33 3 Headed Monsters

Standings

TeamWLPct.
1YZ Trilogy801.0004123238
2Y 3 Headed Monsters62.7503843498
3Y Power44.5003823858
4Y Ghost Ballers44.5003833848
53's Company35.3753754008
6Tri-State35.3753783938
7Ball Hogs26.2503474038
8Killer 3's26.2503723968
Notes

Playoffs

Week 9 (Seattle, WA)

The first post-season games took place in Key Arena, in Seattle, Washington. 3 Headed Monsters, Power, Trilogy and Ghost Ballers competed in two semifinal playoff matchups, to determine who would advance to the championship game.. The Killer 3's, Ball Hogs, 3's Company, and Tri-State played in two games which determined the lower positions, but did not officially count in the standings.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1Killer 3's46–52 Ball Hogs
Game 23's Company51–48 Tri-State
Game 3 (Semifinal)3 Headed Monsters50–46 Power
Game 4 (Semifinal)Trilogy50–39 Ghost Ballers

Week 10 (Las Vegas, NV)

The league's inaugural championship game was hosted at MGM Grand Garden Arena[6] in Las Vegas, Nevada. A consolation game was also played between the two teams eliminated in the previous week's semifinals.

width=15%width=25%width=10%width=25%
Game 1 (consolation)Power39–52 Ghost Ballers
Game 2 (Championship)Trilogy51–46 3 Headed Monsters

Bracket

Individual statistic leaders

Category Player Team Statistic
Points per game 21.6
Rebounds per game 10.1
Steals per game 1.0
Blocks per game 0.8
FG% 63%

Awards

The league's players voted for the inaugural BIG3 awards, which were announced prior to the championship game.[8]

Allen Iverson controversy

Allen Iverson's return was highly publicized when Big3 came to Philadelphia. Before the game, Iverson said, "I'm not going to go out there and be the 25-year-old Allen Iverson—you're going to see a 42-year-old man out there, but to be able to do that, for my fans, I thought that would be cool, just to get back out there again [...] for my fans to get that flashback." However, hours before the game, it was announced Iverson would not be playing. Iverson claimed that he did not play due to "advice from my doctor." Iverson's decision was frowned upon by many in the Philadelphia community.[9]

On Sunday, July 30, the Big3 was scheduled to have games being played in Dallas, Texas. Iverson was slated to appear for his team, 3's Company, but failed to show up to the event or notify league officials about his decision. The next day, TMZ Sports posted pictures showing Iverson at a Chicago Area casino on the morning of the scheduled game.[10]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2017 BIG3 Season.
  2. Web site: BIG3 Final: Trilogy Caps Off Perfect Season with Championship. Max. Jeffrey. 27 August 2017. Clips Nation.
  3. Web site: Jason Williams injures right leg as BIG3 League begins play. ESPN. June 25, 2017. June 26, 2017.
  4. Web site: BIG3 League's week 2 recap. News4SanAntonio.com. July 4, 2017. July 11, 2017.
  5. Originally, the final was scheduled for the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas: however, the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor boxing match was later announced at the same date and venue. Promoters and MGM Resorts International, who owns both arenas, reached a compromise to move the Big3 final to the Grand Garden Arena.
  6. Web site: 3-on-3 pro basketball league founded by Ice Cube. 26 August 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170719102314/http://big3.com/news/193-big3-reaches-deal-with-mgm-resorts-mayweather-promotions-and-ufc. 19 July 2017. dead.
  7. Web site: BIG3 Basketball League 2017 Draft Results and Full Team Rosters. Bleacher Report.
  8. Web site: BIG3 2017 Player Awards. 23 August 2017. BIG3.
  9. Web site: Ice Cube disappointed Allen Iverson didn't play in Big3's stop in Philadelphia . The Washington Post . 2017-07-17 . 2022-06-08.
  10. Web site: Allen Iverson Hit Casino Hard Before Blowing Off BIG3 Game. TMZ.