These days, everybody wants a piece of national headliner Caitlin Clark, and Ice Cube (of all people) is on the hunt. Here’s why.
Caitlin Clark is the biggest star in NCAA women’s college basketball. A sharpshooter and scoring/assists records-setter, nobody else comes close to her stature in the game. That makes her a hot commodity nationally and bankable to any group or organization she affiliates with. So, to no surprise, Clark is signing endorsement deals, and you may have seen her appear in State Farm commercials.
While the conventional path would be to have her play in the WNBA (she will be the #1 draft pick later this year), another league, the Big3 League, could be in the offing. Founded by rapper and actor Ice Cube, the league features 3-on-3 basketball played by twelve teams. The rosters include former NBA players and international players, many of whom are stars in their own right.
Will Clark play in the league? If money is a big decider, then Big3 has the cash—five million worth. For her part, Clark says she didn’t know about the Big3 option until it was reported on the news.
Whether true or not, Clark has bigger fish to fry now: pursuing a national collegiate championship. The tournament culminates this weekend as the Final Four teams—her Hawkeyes, UConn, NC State, and the undefeated/#1-ranked South Carolina Gamecocks—duke it out for the title.
How will the “Big” story turn out? Cube has stated that being in his league will not interfere with Clark’s playing in the WNBA. So, will Clark pursue both options? Time will provide the answer.
Great article on Caitlin Clark. She’s awesome. I didn’t know about all the different marketing possibilities for her. Thanks for the info Matthew Paris.