Nick Young Claims Ice Cube’s BIG3 League Failed To Keep Up With Paying its Players: “Sometimes We Ain’t Get Our Money”

During an interview with DJ Vlad, former NBA player Nick Young shared his experience with Ice Cube’s BIG3 league, claiming that they failed to keep up with its payment schedule for players this season.

“I think they need to get back to traveling to all different cities like they was,” Young said. “‘Cause this past year, it felt like things weren’t ran well ’cause sometimes we ain’t get our money. Things got cancelled. Games got cancelled in the middle of the season. They didn’t know if they was gonna have a season. It was a lot, it was a lot this year.”

He explained, “I feel like they need to get the right investments and really organize it better because this year in the middle of the season, the season was about to be over ’cause they didn’t have the money or something like that.”

Young also added that the BIG3’s salaries are far less than those offered by other international leagues.

“Overseas money is more. Way more,” Young said, before listing the positive of being signed to the the BIG3. “For me, the BIG3 is just to get out the house, to hang with your friends and play the game a little bit. And it’s only on the weekends, [it’s] not too much strain on your body. You don’t have to go to China or Russia and deal with all that. You still get to be with your family during the week and then you leave on the weekend. That’s the fun part.”

Additional benefits of joining BIG3, which he claims he joined at the request of former teammate Gilbert Arenas, were staying in “good hotels” and receiving a daily allowance.

Yeah, he called me and said, ‘I need you, Nick,’” he recalled. “‘I need you. They said I’m a coach now, I need you on my team.’”