Ice Cube puts on a show during Big3 stop at Intuit

The BIG3 basketball environment is one of a West Coast summer-style block celebration — fairly actually — bursting with frenetic hip-hop vitality introduced straight to the hardwood.

At the middle is known rapper and Hollywood A-lister Ice Cube, who, between video games, stands before a BIG3-branded backdrop in the bowels of the Intuit Dome, greeting households and flashing Westside hand indicators as cameras click on.

“It takes a village; all these people have honed their skills to be the best,” Ice Cube, the league’s co-owner and founder, said of the environment.

Rooted in the streetball custom of three-on-three hoops performed on neighborhood blacktops, the league rolled out its Summer in the City tour — a day-long showcase with eight groups vying for a $1-million championship.

Not shy on manufacturing worth, the event presents an unusually intimate setting — gamers mingling casually around the concourse, virtually like an AAU match. Or comedic stars Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer serving as visitor sideline reporters, greeting every fan who stops by with a fast hiya.

But for the South-Central–born rapper, whose league has toured the nation, Saturday’s showcase in Inglewood marked the first time his hometown crowd might watch one of the BIG3’s latest — and first privately owned — franchises, the LA Riot, play live.

A franchise namesake born from L.A.’s historical past of tumultuous racial unrest — evoking recollections of the 1992 Rodney King riots — also symbolizes a motion, rise up and cultural takeover, just as Ice Cube envisioned.

“It was a dream come true, not too far from where I grew up,” Ice Cube said. “So to have a league like this, right at the house, is just beautiful.”

After seven years of unaffiliated groups, the BIG3 shifted to a city-based model to domesticate loyal fan bases and promote franchises to local house owners. Using L.A. as the blueprint — with a $10-million price tag — the hope is to deliver long-term stability to the league.

“We’re going to these eight cities every year,” Ice Cube said. “We can plan long term, hopefully grow the league to other cities, [who] want to get in on the act.”

Since 2017, half of that stability has been constructed on the backs of veteran gamers — athletes properly past their NBA primes and no longer chasing NBA contracts. Among them is newly elected Naismith Hall of Famer Dwight Howard, alongside names like Joe Johnson, Michael Beasley, and Lance Stephenson.

Howard, a member of the 2020 Lakers championship staff, made a extremely anticipated return to the town where he performed three seasons across three separate stints. With his signing, he has develop into the face of the Riot, committing to play his last season of skilled basketball with the membership.

Ice Cube’s Big3 three-on-three basketball league took over the Intuit Dome in Inglewood on Saturday.

(Chapman Baehler / Big3)

“It’s our first year, we’re just getting started,” Howard said. “We’re looking forward to keeping it going. Obviously, the first year is always a little difficult — trying to get to know each other — but we’re doing a great job.”

Howard has dabbled in possession ventures, investing $7 million to buy the WNBA Atlanta Dream — a deal that later turned out to be a rip-off — and becoming a member of the Asian Tournament, an worldwide league, as a co-owner and participant for the Taiwan Mustangs.

In his first Big3 season, Howard has witnessed how properly the league connects with its followers, a connection he believes might be key to its long-term success.

Christopher Thomas, 35, a lifelong Angeleno who introduced his daughter and best buddy to Saturday’s Big3 video games, was rocking a No. 12 Howard Riot jersey. Thomas left the sector transformed after initially scoring free tickets through his job.

“I have to admit, I never heard of the BIG3,” Thomas said. “Now I’m leaving as a Riot fan, especially with my boy Dwight Howard on the team.”

For Thomas, the draw went past basketball. It was the environment, fixed vitality between video games and novelty the league provided. The expertise was “something new, something different,” he said — the type that could have him back in the stands when the BIG3 returns to city.

Making headway in localized markets, Howard — who has performed abroad a number of instances throughout his profession — says the league can also faucet into those worldwide markets with sensible selections and profitability.

“Oh, international,” Howard said. “BIG3 international is what we’re looking for.”

On the globalization entrance, the league is planning exhibitions in Australia and Asia, which Ice Cube hopes will come to fruition soon.

For now, though, the main focus stays on increasing and privatizing within the U.S., past L.A., Houston, Detroit and Miami. The BIG3 also goals to grow past its current eight-team format by securing traders for 4 city-based groups, and then goals for additional enlargement down the road.

“We got some smart people who are buying teams, people who can help us grow the league,” Ice Cube said. “Not just sign a check, but to help us be innovative. Help us with sponsors. We want owners who are active.”

While enlargement plans continue to be mentioned behind closed doorways, the league’s public focus stays on its fast, bodily and unpredictable type — all of which was on full show as the motion at the Intuit Dome wound down.

The Riot’s matchup against the Boston Ball Hogs got here down to the wire with a playoff berth on the road. Clawing back from a 48-45 deficit, the Riot unleashed determined four-point pictures and dove for unfastened balls galore.

Eventually taking the lead, the Riot-friendly crowd spilled from its seats into the walkways surrounding the court, watching with bated breath as Jordan Crawford drained a walk-off three-pointer to seal a 52-48 victory.

“At the end of the day, I can only do so much to get people hyped up,” Ice Cube said of the appeal of the Big3. “The basketball has to be pure.”