OT Ice Cube offers Caitlin Clark 5 million dollar contract to join BIG 3 League

[Chuck Everett]

Seems like a lot of people here don't even realize Caitlin Clark is in State Farm commercials as we speak. She's probably going to get a shoe deal from one of the sneaker brands as well. Why don't you think it's possible for her to make 5 million in endorsements at some point in her professional career, if she proves to being good-to-elite at that level? It's already proven that she's marketable.

[jpengland]

Seems like a lot of people here don't even realize Caitlin Clark is in State Farm commercials as we speak. She's probably going to get a shoe deal from one of the sneaker brands as well. Why don't you think it's possible for her to make 5 million in endorsements at some point in her professional career, if she proves to being good-to-elite at that level? It's already proven that she's marketable.

But she can earn the 5m for a short stint in the Big 3 and then go to the WNBA and earn money there too.

And who knows if she gets injured etc.

Take the cash, set yourself up. Then work out what next.

[Chuck Everett]

Seems like a lot of people here don't even realize Caitlin Clark is in State Farm commercials as we speak. She's probably going to get a shoe deal from one of the sneaker brands as well. Why don't you think it's possible for her to make 5 million in endorsements at some point in her professional career, if she proves to being good-to-elite at that level? It's already proven that she's marketable.

But she can earn the 5m for a short stint in the Big 3 and then go to the WNBA and earn money there too.

And who knows if she gets injured etc.

Take the cash, set yourself up. Then work out what next.

She's already making money though. She's set for life. She's a legend in Iowa and if her entire career goes tits up, she can easily become an analyst or a coach or an ambassador to the program. They would welcome her back with open arms as she's their legend. All money isn't good money. Ice Cube is just acting like a vampire here.

[bballfan1three3]

So you're saying Clark should sell her brand for $5 mill to play with unserious people who will associate her with malt liquor?

I think you're underestimating the value of her brand and her need for quick money. She's already a millionaire several times over from NIL.

I think you're underestimating how little the average person cares about logic behind branding. McDonald's is garbage ppl eat it every day. Brands are just popular things.

Going up against MEN is like the final ceiling. Just imagine for one second how famous she would be if she could even remotely compete. For real.

It's not a "real league" as in they aren't playing full court and taking it as serious as pro sports. So what. I'm interested in the AVERAGE persons interest in putting themselves in the big 3 players shoes.

This is more like a professional version of an office basketball league. No one over 40 is gonna want to run serious games full court vs men in their teens and 20s- no duh. They will lose. But people actually do play serious games at offices that would mimic this- maybe a 22 year old girl vs a 45 year old male is a somewhat fair matchup, I don't know. Never seen it. It's more about "street cred" than anything else.

These YouTube videos will get like 50 Million views. Ice cubes is a genius

This is the absolute most ideal situation for her.

-they have 4 point shots
-her whole game is shooting
-half court
-opponents are somewhat older. As old as realistically possible for her to be taken serious
-lots of breaks, not too much sprinting

If she still can't yeah throw in the towel. But this is a actual fun scenario people could do in their driveway.

Also like 99% of humans understand that MEN and WOMEN are different. It's just an obtuse few who put head in the sand, for reasons unknown. Morality I assume.

I don't see how losing in a MENS league would make a WOMAN look bad. If anything it makes her look good she was even invited.

So we're clear, when I'm talking about branding here, I'm talking about the "Caitlin Clark" brand, and I'm not saying people care about "the branding", I'm saying they care about Clark but they won't always.

Consider this extreme career suicide scenario:

Imagine if Clark got offered a ton of money to be in porn. You really think parents would be happy to have Clark as a role model for their daughters? I personally think that if Clark wanted to do this she should have every right to do it, but in terms of future earnings, it would severely damage her brand.

So, while we can debate about the possible impacts to Clark's brand that the Big 3 league could have, the idea that it couldn't have any is just naive. The reality is that Clark has the hype she does now not because she's the clear cut greatest prospect the NCAA has ever produced, but because a confluence of factors has led he to become a crossover phenomenon, and that's something that's frankly still a fragile thing.

Let's ignore everything else and just consider a Scoot Henderson type of situation:

Scoot was hyped (irresponsibly) by the NBA was a rival to Wemby and has looked like someone who can't even be an NBA player. He personally still has time to improve and make a career for himself...but the G-league Ignite is already dead, and the G-league itself is damaged a great deal because of how this played out. The NBA was trying to create a narrative that the G-league was the better place to train for the NBA compared to college - and frankly that should have been possible - but now we can basically see that they were prioritizing hype over actually giving players realistic evaluations and good training.

Wherever Clark goes after college basketball, if she's an utter, embarrassing flop, the wave of buzz she was leaving in her wake dies, and so do the opportunities that the wave provided.

If that flop comes in the WNBA, then all of that was bound to happen anyway so while it stings crossover women's basketball appeal, there was nothing really to be done about it, because one more year in college wouldn't have changed a thing.

Such a flop elsewhere though is an unforced error. There's a reason why we've never had a super-hyped event between Serena Williams and top men in tennis, and it's not so much because we know who would win that match but that it would give us high profile footage of Williams' strengths getting shut down cold and her weaknesses making her look amateurish. Her ability to inspire young women after that would certainly not be helped by it.

Dude I think you might have porn brain or something.

You're equating being in a PORN MOVIE, to a mixed gender BASKETBALL LEAGUE. Like, what? Are you trolling me? Those aren't the same thing at all? She's a basketball player.

Unless you're one of those ppl who can't admit the fact that a 6 foot tall woman can't compete with a highly athletic man. Only way such circular logic involved


Just because they both involve black men, like, a white woman? I literally am not making a joke. I don't get the porn shot at all.

I'm at a loss for words. I can't believe a mod of a basketball forum would have such unbelievable reasoning.

The whole point of a basketball match is to see who's the better TEAM. women are waaay better in a team setting with mixed gender than 1 on 1. Big 3 is perfect because she can get a hard screen and a shot off.

Tennis is a 1v1 sport, the whole fun should be how do you cover up her weaknesses (being a 6' girl) with her gifts (being an insane shooter in her prime who plays competitive basketball every day).

Let's say, hypothetically, Caitlin Clark murdered 3 people tonight. How would that affect her brand ?

[LouisLitt]

Lowering the rim IMO, is just basically giving up. Like, I shared many times that I have depression, and my psychiatrist sometimes say that I should get a dog or cat, but I feel, if I do that - that is just giving up. So yeah, lowering the rim, is an equivalent of lonely person getting a cat, I do not like the idea.

Also, WNBA is just not NBA. WNBA as mentioned, probably not even the most prestigious league in Womens basketball, it probably has some prestige because it borrows NBA's IP, but thats it, all the women players also play in foreign leagues, so will they just play 10 foot rim basketball for 7 months, but then gather to play WNBA 0n 8 foot rims for those two months? WNBA already suck as it is, it would be just nail in the coffin, I do not think many people would take it more seriously if they do that.

Do you know what typically happens when a business loses money? They go bankrupt.

I am sorry about your depression but this is a really bizarre and unrelated comparison.

The wnba is already different game from the nba already and women are different from men. Its natural that there will be some differences in sports.

Even in woman's tennis for example they play 3 sets instead of 5 in grand slams.

Now you can argue that some other change should be made instead of lowering the rim. They can do something else to increase popularity though I am not sure there are any changes they could make that would help that wouldn't cause blowback just like the lowering the rims.

Men are totally fine watching basketball played by men who can't dunk for crap.

Luka, Jokic, and Curry are three of the most popular players in the league today. Nobody ever talks about lowering the rim for them.

So yeah, I'm sick of this stupid argument. It's dumb and it's insulting.

There's a pretty stark difference between "99.9% of players can't dunk" and "I don't need a player to dunk every play for me to enjoy the sport". Also, Luka, Steph, and Jokic can all dunk.

Think of the biggest highlights this season, all dunks. Mostly from Ant.

I mean the NBA literally has an entire weekend that's being saved by a dunk contest.

[Doctor MJ]

The (nba/wnba) mafia will bully her into rejecting that offer

I think the bigger force here is Nike. If Nike's happy for her to do it, no reason for her to be afraid of the NBA.

If I were Nike though, I'd want her to say "No".

Why though? Who's watching the Indiana Fever? Let her do this, let Ice Cube promote the hell out of it, then her introduction to the WNBA can also be promoted. I only see positives for Nike, no negatives.

Big thing: When women's basketball becomes a punchline, it hurts women's basketball. Simple as that.

Re: Who's watching the Indiana Fever, let the Big3 promote the hell out of it. For perspective:

Big3 current annual revenue: $13.5 million.
WNBA current annual revenue: $180 million.

You clearly think that the WNBA is as unpopular as it could possibly get, but it's an absolute giant compared to Big3.

Is it possible that Clark to the Big3 will make way more people watch the Big3 than the WNBA has ever done before? Perhaps, but if this is the case, it will be because of Clark not because people like Big3.

Make no mistake, Ice Cube is doing this because Clark matters and the Big3 doesn't, not because his league is in a position of strength.

[dhsilv2]

Seems like a lot of people here don't even realize Caitlin Clark is in State Farm commercials as we speak. She's probably going to get a shoe deal from one of the sneaker brands as well. Why don't you think it's possible for her to make 5 million in endorsements at some point in her professional career, if she proves to being good-to-elite at that level? It's already proven that she's marketable.

But she can earn the 5m for a short stint in the Big 3 and then go to the WNBA and earn money there too.

And who knows if she gets injured etc.

Take the cash, set yourself up. Then work out what next.

She's already making money though. She's set for life. She's a legend in Iowa and if her entire career goes tits up, she can easily become an analyst or a coach or an ambassador to the program. They would welcome her back with open arms as she's their legend. All money isn't good money. Ice Cube is just acting like a vampire here.

I'm the last person to be a huge snob about where one lives...but Iowa?

[Hans1984]

Noone would take her serious in the league(WNBA) if she did.

[FrodoFraggins]

The only downside I see to doing it is getting herself exposed by playing against men.

Which is a HUGE, deal-breaking downside imho.

Yep it's a huge deal. Which is also why top female tennis players prefer not to play against a pro male even for charity.

But 5 million is worth it unless she can find other ways to recoup it elsewhere. I doubt she'd be blackballed by the WNBA.

[FrodoFraggins]

Noone would take her serious in the league(WNBA) if she did.

Even when she dominates when she goes to the WNBA? give me a break

[sisibilio]

Lowering the rim IMO, is just basically giving up. Like, I shared many times that I have depression, and my psychiatrist sometimes say that I should get a dog or cat, but I feel, if I do that - that is just giving up. So yeah, lowering the rim, is an equivalent of lonely person getting a cat, I do not like the idea.

How is that giving up?
Gtting a dog would actually help the socializing stuff big time. IDK

I think lowering the rim takes a lot of credibility away from it. Someone said it is insulting, and I agree. Grasp for straw that isn't needed that much. If you do not think that, thats fine, but I never really understand why people want to see dunking that much anyway. I can not perceive a scenario where WNBA gets more popular because players can play above the rim now. If you weren't into women Basketball, you wont become a fan because rims are now lower, I find it to be a ridiculous solution to say the least.

I was talking about the dog part.
I don't like the idea of lowering the ring neither.

[xdrta+]

Noone would take her serious in the league(WNBA) if she did.

Just like no one took Wilt seriously after he went to the Globetrotters for a year. Oh, wait...

[dhsilv2]

Do you know what typically happens when a business loses money? They go bankrupt.

I am sorry about your depression but this is a really bizarre and unrelated comparison.

The wnba is already different game from the nba already and women are different from men. Its natural that there will be some differences in sports.

Even in woman's tennis for example they play 3 sets instead of 5 in grand slams.

Now you can argue that some other change should be made instead of lowering the rim. They can do something else to increase popularity though I am not sure there are any changes they could make that would help that wouldn't cause blowback just like the lowering the rims.

Men are totally fine watching basketball played by men who can't dunk for crap.

Luka, Jokic, and Curry are three of the most popular players in the league today. Nobody ever talks about lowering the rim for them.

So yeah, I'm sick of this stupid argument. It's dumb and it's insulting.

There's a pretty stark difference between "99.9% of players can't dunk" and "I don't need a player to dunk every play for me to enjoy the sport". Also, Luka, Steph, and Jokic can all dunk.

Think of the biggest highlights this season, all dunks. Mostly from Ant.

I mean the NBA literally has an entire weekend that's being saved by a dunk contest.

Curry and that girl shooting 3's was the biggest event of the allstar weekend...

Does anyone watch the dunk contest? And Jokic's passes are easily half the top plays of this year.

[dhsilv2]

I think the bigger force here is Nike. If Nike's happy for her to do it, no reason for her to be afraid of the NBA.

If I were Nike though, I'd want her to say "No".

Why though? Who's watching the Indiana Fever? Let her do this, let Ice Cube promote the hell out of it, then her introduction to the WNBA can also be promoted. I only see positives for Nike, no negatives.

Big thing: When women's basketball becomes a punchline, it hurts women's basketball. Simple as that.

Re: Who's watching the Indiana Fever, let the Big3 promote the hell out of it. For perspective:

Big3 current annual revenue: $13.5 million.
WNBA current annual revenue: $180 million.

You clearly think that the WNBA is as unpopular as it could possibly get, but it's an absolute giant compared to Big3.

Is it possible that Clark to the Big3 will make way more people watch the Big3 than the WNBA has ever done before? Perhaps, but if this is the case, it will be because of Clark not because people like Big3.

Make no mistake, Ice Cube is doing this because Clark matters and the Big3 doesn't, not because his league is in a position of strength.

That's pretty comparable if it's 10 games vs 40 + playoffs on a per game revenue basis, no? Not to be annoying but that doesn't paint the WNBA in a good light given big 3 is much newer.

[D.Brasco]

I think the bigger force here is Nike. If Nike's happy for her to do it, no reason for her to be afraid of the NBA.

If I were Nike though, I'd want her to say "No".

Why though? Who's watching the Indiana Fever? Let her do this, let Ice Cube promote the hell out of it, then her introduction to the WNBA can also be promoted. I only see positives for Nike, no negatives.

Big thing: When women's basketball becomes a punchline, it hurts women's basketball. Simple as that.

Re: Who's watching the Indiana Fever, let the Big3 promote the hell out of it. For perspective:

Big3 current annual revenue: $13.5 million.
WNBA current annual revenue: $180 million.

You clearly think that the WNBA is as unpopular as it could possibly get, but it's an absolute giant compared to Big3.

Is it possible that Clark to the Big3 will make way more people watch the Big3 than the WNBA has ever done before? Perhaps, but if this is the case, it will be because of Clark not because people like Big3.

Make no mistake, Ice Cube is doing this because Clark matters and the Big3 doesn't, not because his league is in a position of strength.

Despite the revenue differences one league is offering her 5 million for a season while the other is offering 200k max.

Of course Cube is doing this because his league needs her for relevance, the WNBA needs her for relevance too but will offer her a small fraction in comparison to play for them.

In my view Caitlin should feel no pressure to take less money to support a league that can barely support itself after near 30 years (WNBA).

This pressure is uniquely squared at her too, there is not one WNBA player who wouldn't take the 5 mil offer if it were offered to them instead.

[mack2354]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned yet but what if there was 1 woman per team? She doesn't need to be the best player on the court, just the best female in the league. Obviously all the women wouldn't pull in 5 million each but I'm sure you could get a few of Candace Parker, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner types who could use a pay day and wouldn't mind the exposure or challenge.

[UcanUwill]

Do you know what typically happens when a business loses money? They go bankrupt.

I am sorry about your depression but this is a really bizarre and unrelated comparison.

The wnba is already different game from the nba already and women are different from men. Its natural that there will be some differences in sports.

Even in woman's tennis for example they play 3 sets instead of 5 in grand slams.

Now you can argue that some other change should be made instead of lowering the rim. They can do something else to increase popularity though I am not sure there are any changes they could make that would help that wouldn't cause blowback just like the lowering the rims.

Men are totally fine watching basketball played by men who can't dunk for crap.

Luka, Jokic, and Curry are three of the most popular players in the league today. Nobody ever talks about lowering the rim for them.

So yeah, I'm sick of this stupid argument. It's dumb and it's insulting.

There's a pretty stark difference between "99.9% of players can't dunk" and "I don't need a player to dunk every play for me to enjoy the sport". Also, Luka, Steph, and Jokic can all dunk.

Think of the biggest highlights this season, all dunks. Mostly from Ant.

I mean the NBA literally has an entire weekend that's being saved by a dunk contest.

Do you seriously don't watch women basketball, because they can't dunk? How is that a reason?

I was talking about the dog part.
I don't like the idea of lowering the ring neither.

Oh, ok... I was surprised you would take a side on lowering the rim part.

Noone would take her serious in the league(WNBA) if she did.

I mean, that was the question, how her brand look if she played in BIG3. But since this thread was posted, we kind off figured BIG3 has like 8 games, right? Honestly, it would be stupid to not accept that deal. If she dominates woman in real women leagues, you think they wont take her seriously because she cashed in more in 8 pick up games, than what most of these women will make in their entire careers? Come on, lets be serious, it will probably make Caitlin more of a legend haha. And not to mention, WNBA is just a side hustle in womens basketball anyway, the real money and career is in Europe, WNBA is just not NBA, it is completely different thing. Having the day to rethink this, this is not much worse than WNBA, but with far better contract. BIG3 takes place during summer, just like WNBA, so she would have to choose between the two most likely.

[MrGoat]

There actually was a WNBA player interviewed about this earlier today. She was actually the one who sounded most like she thought she should take the offer.

Watch on YouTube

It would make the already big target on her back even bigger when she shows up to the WNBA, but that would be good for the WNBA. Adds some intrigue

[no dice]

This is Ice Cube's power move to give Adam Silver the middle finger. To some of you who don't know Ice Cube claimed that the NBA was actively talking to major sponsors out of partnering with Big 3 while Cube just wanted to coexist. Very well played to get CC who is considered the 1 who could revolutionize the WNBA.

[JustBuzzin]

Lucky for her she has endorsements, but her fame won't last very long simply because the league she's going to nobody cares about. She will be remembered for her college career. All these people calling her the GOAT are victims of the moment. I will give her a year to ride out the hype. People will pay attention her first year in the WNBA. After that the hype is over.