It has already been widely reported that former Iowa star Caitlin Clark was offered $5 million to take part in Ice Cube’s BIG3. The $5 million greatly dwarfs anything she would make in the WNBA, but news has emerged that the offer was even more lucrative than originally appeared.
According to reporting from TMZ Sports and OutKick, the offer included a $10 million salary over 2 years, a percentage of team ownership, 50% of merchandise revenue as well as a stake in an upcoming BIG3 documentary that comes with a seven-figure advance. Altogether the deal would be worth at least $15 million.
The deal would have also permitted Clark to continue her WNBA career.
BIG3 Co-Founder Jeff Kwatinetz seemed to think that the deal’s existence was not elucidated to Clark, saying to OutKick “We have reason to believe these male agents and executives controlling the sport never even shared our trailblazing offer with Caitlin let alone facilitated Caitlin meeting with the BIG3 to discuss the opportunity. From our perspective, these representatives don’t seem to work for an individual client like Caitlin. They seem to work for the NBA mob, as their client list is a who’s who of NBA players. Do we expect them to prioritize Caitlin over the NBA – the top employer of their most highly paid clients? The NBA commands by fear, and they make sure their industry of agents, lawyers, managers, and networks stay in line. And that line is to prevent BIG3 success, even if it stunts the growth of women’s basketball.
Asked about the offer during the NCAA Tournament Clark said, “I found out about the BIG3 thing the same time you all did.”
Ice Cube has hinted that he thought the NBA had essentially put a gag order on players even talking about the BIG3 on an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show.
“I think they were just told not to mention the BIG3 on the air. We know the NBA really controls who talks about them and who doesn’t and what is said and not said about the league or other league. I was told by someone I trust who actually played in the BIG3 who was an announcer that he couldn’t speak on it on air.
