BIG3 Captain and former Arizona Basketball star Mike Bibby and the Ghost Ballers

There is a new exciting American Professional basketball league that just started up, the BIG3. It features former Arizona Wildcat and NBA Star Mike Bibby.

Professional basketball just got a jumpstart! On June 25th, the BIG3 made its debut in front of 15,000 fans at Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, NY. There to take part in the action was former Arizona Wildcat and NBA star Mike Bibby, who is the captain of the Ghost Ballers.

In a new concept, started up by Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinez, the BIG3 is a 3-on-3 style league, lasting 10 weeks and made up of eight teams. The league also has some really interesting rules. Here are just some of them:

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• No tip-off, there is a half court do or die shot to determine who gets the ball first
• Players can score two, three or even four pointers!
• Foul shots are taken based on where they get fouled. So for example, if they get fouled while in the four-point area, that’s where they have to take the foul shot from.
• Defensive rebounds have to be cleared (taking back behind the three-point shot) only if the ball touches the rim
• Halftime occurs when a team reaches 30 points
• First team to 60 wins.
• Must win by two points

This league is made up of some great players:  Allen Iverson, Chauncey Billups, Jason Williams, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington. Another interesting fact about this league is that it’s all controlled by the players themselves, preventing any sort of disruption – so refreshing! In today’s game of professional basketball, there are so many outside influences, that it has become more about being a business and less about the actual game of basketball.

Bibby is the captain of the Ghost Ballers and former NBA great Ricky Davis is the co-captain. The other players on the team are Mo Evans, Marcus Banks, Ivan Johnson, Joe Smith (reserve) and George “The Iceman” Gervin is the coach – wow!

The 3-of- 3 style fits Bibby’s game perfectly. His ball handling skills, combined with his ability to dish the ball and shoot the ball from anywhere on the court will make him a valuable asset to the Ballers. In his 16 seasons in the NBA, Bibby averaged almost 15 points and six assists per game. As a Wildcat, he averaged the same stats – not too shabby! Also, Bibby was one of the main reasons the Wildcats were 1997 National Champions.

When asked what drew Bibby to this event during Media Day, this is what he had to say (courtesy of Alex Kennedy, NBA Writer for Hoops Hype):

"Got a call from Ice Cube, living legend, grew up on his music. When you get a call from him you don’t turn this down. Told me about the league and I was in."

In the opening game against the Three-Headed Monsters, the Ballers had the lead late 60-59, but the opposing captain, Rashard Lewis, completed the ‘and one’ giving his team the 62-60 win. Bibby finished the game with 12 points, three assists, six rebounds and two four-pointers!

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Zona Zealots is thrilled about this new professional basketball league and the excitement it has brought back to the game of basketball. We look forward to Mike Bibby providing Big3 fans with many “Bear Down” highlights.