Amerant Bank Arena retired the ice for hardwood Sunday afternoon, playing host to BIG3, the premier global 3-on-3 basketball league.
Headlining Week 3 action, the defending champion Miami 305 — coached by five-time NBA champion Michael Cooper — returned home to South Florida to take on the Chicago Triplets, who had yet to be taken down in the first two weeks of action.
“There’s always a vibe here,” producer, actor and musician Ice Cube said about taking the league to Miami. “You get that aesthetic…nobody ever complains about coming to Miami.”
Ice Cube greets the fans attending the BIG3 basketball games at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, July 5, 2026 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).
Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz founded the league in 2017 with a focus on players and providing a fast-paced, entertaining environment for its soon-to-be widespread fanbase. In eight weeks of competition across the nation, eight teams compete in hopes of becoming the next BIG3 champion.
The innovation of the league comes not just from its non-typical 3-on-3, half-court nature, but from the style of the game. Aside from 2- and 3-point options, circles on the court behind the 3-point line allow players to score 4 points with a made shot, so long as they have one foot touching it. The game is played first-to-50, win-by-two style with a 14-second shot clock, and they “bring the fire” with occasional one-on-one action to challenge a foul call to ensure constant excitement and an upbeat atmosphere.
Furthermore, each team has elite players and coaches, including Hall of Famers and iconic names. On Sunday, as usual, four separate games tipped off.
To kick off the action, the undefeated Dallas Power faced the Detroit Amps, who were seeking their first win of the year. The Power, coached by Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, dominated to start. Led by former G League player Elijah Stewart, who entered the afternoon pacing BIG3 in total points (41), steals (6), 3-pointers (7) and 4-pointers (1), Dallas got out to a convincing 16-6 start. Stewart, the USC alum, splashed a 3-pointer to seal a 25-9 advantage at the half, and followed it up with an and-one out of the break, but it wasn’t enough to hold off Detroit.
Dallas Power’s Elijah Stewart (44) battles for a loose ball with Detroit Amps’ Corey Brewer (13) and Darnell Jackson (4) during a BIG3 basketball game at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, July 5, 2026 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).
The Amps’ co-captain Nasir Core propelled the 20-point comeback. He drilled a 4-pointer, a 3-pointer and capitalized on an and-one during a one-on-one matchup. Detroit took a 48-47 lead — its first of the game — off his made free throw. However, Dallas held on when it mattered, clinching its third win of the season 51-48 off a 2-pointer from co-captain Glen Rice Jr.
Then, the East and West Coast battled it out, as the LA Riot faced the Boston Ball Hogs, with both teams sitting at 1-1.
And after the nail-biting first finish, game two was shaping up to be just as close, with the pair going shot-for-shot until Chris Allen gave the Riot a 17-12 advantage — the largest of the matchup so far. LA widened the gap, securing as much as an 11-point lead. However, Boston quickly erased its deficit, nailing back-to-back-to-back 4-point shots, much to the excitement of Ice Cube and the crowd. From there, the Ball Hogs didn’t let up and came out on top in the rivalry matchup, 50-40.
Finally, it was time for Miami to take the stage, looking to climb to 2-1 on the season.
With Miami’s Michael Beasley — former Miami Heat forward and reigning BIG3 Player of the Week — serving a suspension and out for the game, the 305 struggled to double down on their dominance over Chicago in a rematch of last year’s title game.
Miami 305 player Lance Stephenson (1) goes up for a shot as Chicago Triplets player Brandon Moss (1) defends during a BIG3 basketball game at Amerant Bank Arena on Sunday, July 5, 2026 (Jim Rassol/Contributor).
The efforts of captain Mario Chalmers, another former Heat player who played seven seasons and won two titles with the franchise, and Lance Stephenson, a long-time NBA staple, kept it close, but they were unable to contain the Triplets’ Montrezl Harrell. Behind Harrell’s 34 points and game-sealing free throw, Chicago captured a 50-38 win over Miami.
To end the afternoon, the DMV Trilogy sunk the Houston Rig Hands (0-3), 50-38. The Trilogy, who boast the most BIG3 titles, improved to 2-1 on the season to wrap an eventful evening in South Florida.
The league returns to Miami for Week 7 competition July 31.
“It never gets old,” Ice Cube said. “It’s really just about growing it, fanning the flames, but it’s just fun. It’s a great atmosphere.”