Caitlin Clark offered $5million to play in Ice Cube’s Big3 League following her record-breaking college success… and it would NOT stop the Iowa sensation from joining the WNBA
College basketball sensation Caitlin Clark has been offered a staggering $5million to become the first woman to play in Ice Cube’s Big 3 League.
Clark, 22, who continues to set record after record at college level, is already poised to join the WNBA after wrapping up her senior year at Iowa.
Yet according to TMZ Sports, the all-time leading NCAA scorer also has the chance to bank herself seven figures beforehand – and it won’t affect her proposed move into the upper echelons of women’s basketball.
Big3, a three-on-three league founded by both hip-hop legend Ice Cube – real name O’Shea Jackson – and entertainment chief Jeff Kwatinetz – has offered Clark a deal worth $5m to play up to just 10 games in their up-and-coming division.
That would include a minimum of eight regular-season fixtures and potentially two playoff games, earning her at least $500,000 per outing.
Caitlin Clark has been offered a staggering $5million to play in Ice Cube’s Big 3 League
Clark, 22, continues to set record after record at college level in her senior year for Iowa
Before her proposed move to the WNBA, she could bank seven figures by signing up to Big3, a three-on-three league which begins over the summer
The Iowa superstar would also receive ‘substantial additional compensation’ from any sponsorship or merchandise deals, while Big3 chiefs would also allow her to play in the WNBA.
Clark, who is currently plying her trade at March Madness, has already outlined her plan to enter the 2024 WNBA Draft, with the Indiana Fever set to use their No 1 pick to bring her to Indianapolis.
Only two regular-season games in the WNBA would conflict with the Big3 schedule, giving her the chance to pocket $5m at no detriment to her professional ambitions.
Following TMZ’s report, Ice Cube confirmed on X that Big3 has indeed launched a ‘historic’ offer to Clark.
‘We intended the offer to remain private while Caitlin Clark plays for the championship. But I won’t deny what’s now already out there,’ he wrote.
‘BIG3 made a historic offer to Caitlin Clark. Why wouldn’t we? Caitlin is a generational athlete who can achieve tremendous success in the BIG3.’
In comparison, the WNBA’s highest earner last season was Erica Wheeler, who collected $242,000. While she is expected to take home slightly more herself next season, Clark can pocket almost 20 times as much by signing up to Big3.
Ice Cube took to social media to confirm reports of Big3’s ‘historic’ offer for Clark
The Iowa superstar is currently competing at March Madness, helping her team reach the Sweet 16 stage on Monday
The point guard would be the first female player to play in the league, but after growing up practicing and playing against men that would be no problem for her.
One potential stumbling block, however, is reports of strained relations between Big3 and the NBA – which operates the WNBA.
The U.S. Department of Justice launched an investigation last year into claims the NBA is attempting to crush Big3’s success, meaning the league could move to block any potential deal for Clark given her plans to enter the 2024 Draft.
Clark, the all-time leading NCAA points scorer, made more history last week after her status as perhaps the greatest women’s college player of all time meant Iowa’s tie against Holy Cross was the most watched first-round game ever.
In Monday’s win over West Virginia, she also set the record most points in a single season with 1,113.
