{"id":759540,"date":"2026-06-25T14:48:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T14:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/759540\/"},"modified":"2026-06-25T14:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T14:48:09","slug":"ice-cube-on-why-hes-taking-his-basketball-league-public","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/759540\/","title":{"rendered":"Ice Cube on why he&#8217;s taking his basketball league public"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">Listen and subscribe to Power Players with Brian Sozzi on<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/opening-bid\/id1749109417\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:%20Apple%20Podcasts;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:1;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot; Apple Podcasts&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"> Apple Podcasts<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/music.amazon.com\/podcasts\/7b6dd200-7c4d-4aca-94da-fc5b78a7c2f8\/opening-bid-unfiltered\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:%20Amazon%20Music;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:2;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot; Amazon Music&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;2&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"> Amazon Music<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/6blmkje6G8vLF8cVSWxa5A\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:%20Spotify;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:3;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot; Spotify&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;3&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"> Spotify<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/playlist?list=PLx28zU8ctIRrn_IuRHYFXBaJfLqg0wZpq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:YouTube;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:4;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;YouTube&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;4&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\">YouTube<\/a>, or wherever you find your favorite podcasts.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">Rapper and entertainer Ice Cube will be joining the earnings call scene by the end of the year.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">Cube&#8217;s BIG3 basketball league has officially announced plans to become the first publicly traded professional sports league in the US. It entered a definitive merger agreement with Graf Global Corp., a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">The transaction values Cube&#8217;s 3-on-3 league at a pre-money equity valuation of $290 million. It plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange or Nasdaq under the ticker symbol &#8220;TONT&#8221; (3-on-3). The transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2026.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">&#8220;It has been a labor of love,&#8221; Ice Cube said on an episode of Yahoo Finance&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/videos\/series\/power-players\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:Power%20Players%20With%20Brian%20Sozzi;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:5;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Power Players With Brian Sozzi&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Power Players With Brian Sozzi<\/a> podcast (see video above; listen below). &#8220;I love basketball, and I always have a hangover after the NBA Finals. I&#8217;m always like, I want more. I need more. So this league was started for guys like me \u2026 It feels great to be able to accomplish this for basketball fans.&#8221;  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">Cube says he plans to stay on as CEO of the company after it goes public.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">Founded in 2017, the league features eight teams led by iconic player-coaches like Julius &#8220;Dr. J&#8221; Erving, Gary Payton, and Nancy Lieberman. Hall of Famer Clyde Drexler is the league commissioner.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">It operates under a unique &#8220;Fireball3&#8221; ruleset, which features a 14-second shot clock, physical hand-checking, and a custom 4-point shooting circle located 30 feet from the basket. The first team to score 50 points (and win by at least two) takes the game.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">The league is celebrating its ninth season.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">Cube said that now feels like the right moment to bring the league public.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\">&#8220;If we continue on the same route, we&#8217;re going to have a league [NBA] just full of billionaires as team owners \u2026 But we want to make sure the little guys can get in on it too. You know, not just the guys with the super deep pockets, but sports fans who want to grow with the league,&#8221; Cube added.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/author\/brian-sozzi\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:Brian%20Sozzi;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:6;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Brian Sozzi&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;6&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Brian Sozzi<\/a> is Yahoo Finance&#8217;s Executive Editor and a member of Yahoo Finance&#8217;s editorial leadership team. Follow Sozzi on X<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/BrianSozzi\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:%20%40BrianSozzi;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:7;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot; @BrianSozzi&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;7&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"> @BrianSozzi<\/a>,<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/briansozzi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:%20Instagram;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:8;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot; Instagram&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;8&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"> Instagram<\/a>, and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/in\/briansozzi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:%20LinkedIn;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:9;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot; LinkedIn&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;9&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\"> LinkedIn<\/a>. Tips on stories? Email brian.sozzi@yahoofinance.com.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/topic\/stock-market-news\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:Click%20here%20for%20in-depth%20analysis%20of%20the%20latest%20stock%20market%20news%20and%20events%20moving%20stock%20prices;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:10;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;10&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Click here for in-depth analysis of the latest stock market news and events moving stock prices<\/a>  <\/p>\n<p class=\"text text-block paragraph text-left neo-font-paragraph-xl-reg  yf-18d6y07\" style=\"text-decoration: none; font-style: normal; text-transform: none; text-align: inherit; font-variant-numeric: normal;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/finance.yahoo.com\/news\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"link\" data-ylk=\"slk:Read%20the%20latest%20financial%20and%20business%20news%20from%20Yahoo%20Finance;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;cpos:11;pos:1\" data-yga=\"{&quot;yLinkText&quot;:&quot;Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance&quot;,&quot;yLinkElement&quot;:&quot;context_link&quot;,&quot;yModuleName&quot;:&quot;content-canvas&quot;,&quot;yLinkPosition&quot;:&quot;11&quot;,&quot;yPosition&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Read the latest financial and business news from Yahoo Finance<\/a>  <\/p>\n<p>   <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Listen and subscribe to Power Players with Brian Sozzi on Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":759541,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[325857,12224,64,63,726,362911,36923,56452,362912,85],"class_list":["post-759540","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-basketball","tag-amazon-music","tag-apple-podcasts","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-basketball","tag-brian-sozzi","tag-ice-cube","tag-new-york-stock-exchange","tag-power-players","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/759540","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=759540"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/759540\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/759541"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=759540"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=759540"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=759540"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}