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Supply: Todd Kirkland / Getty
United States Division of Justice has launched an investigation into the chance that the NBA engaged in an intentional effort to tank the Big3 basketball league based by none apart from West Coast Hip Hip icon Ice Dice.
In line with TMZ, the inquiry into allegations that the NBA used its energy to curb the expansion and progress of the a lot smaller league was truly launched months in the past. Mainly, the professional league is accused of pressuring sponsors, buyers, TV networks, gamers and even referees from getting concerned with Big3, which is mainly David to the NBA’s Goliath and was by no means very more likely to produce even distant competitors for the multi-billion greenback basketball league.
From TMZ:
Some present gamers have expressed a need to play in Dice’s league within the offseason, however we’re advised, because the Big3 sees it, the NBA has prevented guys from doing so, placing arbitrary guidelines in place to cease gamers from hooping in Ice’s league.
FYI, the NBA and Big3 seasons don’t overlap.
After all, it’s a daily prevalence for NBA gamers, together with a number of the greatest stars on the earth like LeBron James, to hoop in non-NBA video games after the season ends … resembling L.A.’s famed Drew League.
Big3 officers, in response to sources conversant in the investigation, consider they’ve been unfairly focused by the NBA.
We’ve additionally been advised NBA house owners have been discouraged from investing within the Big3 whereas concurrently proudly owning a franchise.
Referees haven’t been immune, both, in response to a supply … who says they’ve been advised they can not officiate for the Big3, regardless of some working for different organizations exterior of the NBA.
Once more, if these allegations are true, it’s numerous effort to undergo for a longtime league that generates billions in income and already has different, a lot smaller leagues to “compete” with that it hasn’t been accused of making an attempt to kill. Nonetheless, sources advised TMZ that Dice and his BIG3 co-founder, Jeff Kwatinetz, met with DOJ attorneys earlier this yr, and that these legal professionals have reached out to NBA officers as a part of the investigation, which signifies that the inquiry is being taken fairly significantly.
In response to the allegations, NBA spokesman Mike Bass advised TMZ that the “claims aren’t true,” and that the NBA has truly “been supportive of the Big3 since its inception, however we declined to speculate.” Dice appeared to dispute that half on X Tuesday saying, “BIG3 by no means requested the NBA to speculate, we simply need them to cease pressuring people and firms to not spend money on the BIG3.”
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